ECU awards inaugural Humanities Scholarship
East Carolina University sophomore Garrett Yarbrough, a soon-to-be 18-year-old from LaGrange, NC, is the inaugural recipient of the Humanities Scholar Program and will receive an annual $3,000 scholarship through his senior year.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as a Humanities Scholar. I am elated to illustrate the significance of the understanding of the humanities, of what intrinsically defines us as human and how this essence and ambition is coupled with sciences and other fields to usher in progress,” said Yarbrough. “I eagerly anticipate my role as a representative of the humanities within the student body; to further the awareness of the importance of the accomplishments and exploration of the human spirit.”
Garrett Yarbrough (contributed photo)
Yarbrough, co-creator of the ECU Creative Writing Club, is pursuing duel majors in English and history. He aspires to be a creative writer and a published travel journalist, tackling international topics.
“I intend to use my background in English and history in order to bring awareness to global issues and to bring new perspectives to readers and those that would not have been exposed to differing views originally,” said Yarbrough.
The Humanities Scholar Program, established by the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and the Honors College, is a way to acknowledge and increase awareness around the importance that the humanities play at ECU and in creating well-rounded students that are equipped to excel in the changing world.
Dr. Katherine Ford, Humanities Scholar Program coordinator and associate professor of Hispanic studies, said the humanities help people understand who they are and how they may connect with others; whether similar or not, and that the humanities attempt to answer the question, “Why?”
“Garrett Yarbrough, without a doubt, embodies the ideals of the humanities through his studies in English and history and is a perfect inaugural Humanities Scholar,” said Ford. “Garrett has a curiosity about the world around him and aims to help others understand this world better through writing.”
Garrett Yarbrough and fellow students at the induction ceremony for Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society. (contributed photo)
In addition to his Humanities Scholar award, Yarbrough is an EC Scholar and a member of the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society. He served as vice president of the ECU Creative Writing Club for the 2015 academic year and will serve as president for the 2016 academic year.
Eligible applicants to the Humanities Scholar Program are students who are admitted to the Honors College and plan to major in a humanities discipline. A student who is awarded a position in the Humanities Scholars Program, and maintains annual eligibility requirements, receives a scholarship of $3,000 a year through the recipient’s senior year. The Humanities Scholar Program is in addition to the Honors College Scholarship, which is equal to in-state tuition.
“ECU’s College of Arts and Sciences values its partnership with the Honors College, and I’m so very pleased that together we have successfully launched the new Humanities Scholars program,” said Dr. William M. Downs, dean of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. “This scholarship helps us attract and retain high-ability students, such as Garrett Yarbrough, who will be ambassadors for learning in the disciplines of English, philosophy, foreign languages and literatures, religious studies and classical studies.”
For more information about the Humanities Scholars Program, visit http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/scholars/humanities.cfm.