Eleven George Mitchell Scholars have been selected in a nationwide US competition for a year of post-graduate study at universities in the Republic and Northern Ireland.
Competition for the 11 scholarships which carry stipends of $11,000, is growing, with a record 300 applicants this year. Launched in 1998, the programme seeks to link the next generation of US leadership with the island of Ireland. It is administered by the US-Ireland Alliance, a non-profit organisation based in Washington DC, headed by Ms Trina Vargo, and named in honour of former US Senator George Mitchell.
The Mitchell Scholars for the 2003-2004 academic year and their Irish university assignments include: Dariush Afshar, Washington DC (University College Cork); Alexandra Chirinos, Corpus Christi, Texas (Queen's University Belfast/National University of Ireland, Galway); Cassie Farrelly, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania (Trinity College Dublin); Moira Herbst, Brooklyn, New York (University College Cork); John Kiess, Charlottesville, Virginia (Queen's University Belfast); Jana Kiser, Suisun, California (University of Limerick); Robbie Majzner, Morris Plains, New Jersey (National University of Ireland, Galway); Michael Osofsky, New Orleans, Louisiana (Queen's University Belfast); Simon Rodberg, New York, New York (University College Dublin); Arsalan Suleman, Kenner, Louisiana (Trinity College Dublin); and Jasmin Weaver, Seattle, (University College Dublin).
The Mitchell programme was inaugurated with an endowment established by the Irish Government.