CEU’s President and Rector Michael Ignatieff and his wife Zsuzsanna Zsohar have established the Presidential Scholars Fund in order to cultivate leadership potential and recognize outstanding academic achievement at the university.
Honored in 2019 with the prestigious Dan David Prize for his contribution to defense of democracy, Rector Ignatieff wished to extend the award’s impact through a new generation of leaders. Above and beyond the 10 percent that all prize recipients are asked to give to the Dan David Prize Scholarships, the couple decided to set aside $75,000 from the award to dedicate to student aid for CEU’s new undergraduate programs.
The Fund awards two scholarships per year to incoming bachelor’s students demonstrating exceptional academic credentials and leadership promise. The total scholarship value is €5,000 over four years.
Additionally, four Presidential Graduate Research Awards of €1,000 are awarded annually to exceptional Master’s and Doctoral students whose research shows promise for the next generation.
Announcing the award, Rector Ignatieff said: "Zsuzsanna and I are delighted to be able to give gifted students the opportunity to realize their full potential here at CEU."
Bringing the graduate and undergraduate scholars together, the Rector will host an annual dinner for the Scholars and meet with them regularly throughout the year.
All incoming undergraduate students with a strong track record of high achievement and academic excellence are eligible for nomination by the admissions office and faculty. Selected students will demonstrate a deep connection to the CEU mission, a commitment to creating change in the communities from which they come and leadership potential.
Source: https://www.ceu.edu/article/2020-01-16/presidential-scholars-fund-launched