The Henry Luce Foundation is delighted to announce its 2021-2022 scholars, after an intense remote selection process that lasted for three months.
The Luce Scholarship is proud of this year’s candidate pool and cohort, the program is known for enhancing equity, diversity, inclusion in every aspect of its work in the program’s history.
This year’s nominees are from over 70 colleges and universities participating in the scholarship, and screening was conducted by program staff of applications from a dozen non-affiliated campuses. A total number of 164 semifinalists contended for 18 spots in the new class.
Yearly, the Luce scholarship aims at producing young Americans who have great leadership potentials, with very little exposure to Asia for them to gain potentials to be able to “be comfortable being uncomfortable”, these challenges help the scholars grow professionally and personally which helps them to develop a sophisticated understanding of a different dynamic region which is critical to the future of America and also gain a new perspective of America and the world.
In 2020, scholarships not only adapted to new languages and cultures but were tasked unexpectedly with navigating the effects of the pandemic which spread through Asia and extending its reach across the globe.
Among this 2021-2022, Luce scholars are 12 people of color and a significant number of first or second-generation immigrants and also first-generation graduates. Awaiting the 2021-2022 Luce scholarship by the world remains unsettled, But the Luce scholarship committee is still committed to working with scholars by giving them intelligent and personalized support both individually and as a cohort.
The Asia Foundation has always been a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a developing Asia. This was informed by six decades of experience and deep local expertise, it works across the region empowers women, strengthens governance, increases environmental resilience, expands economic community, and promotes international cooperation.
Now more than ever, the United States of America needs a new generation of great leaders, who deeply interprets Asia better in all its contradictory and beautiful messiness and leaders who will work effectively with their counterparts and communities in Asia.
About the Luce scholarship
The Luce scholarship program was founded in 1974 and is recognized as a nationally competitive fellowship program, launched by the Henry Luce Foundation to help enhance the American society for a better understanding of Asia amongst the potential leaders in the U.S.
The program provides 15-18 Luce scholars each year, it also provides language training, stipends, and individualized professional placement in Asia.
Each year, Luce scholars have welcomed applicants who have had limited exposure to Asia, ranging from graduate students, college seniors, and young professionals in varieties of fields.
Eligibility for Luce scholarship
The Luce Scholarship program shares the same mission with the Asia program at Luce foundation to enhance American capacity in taking different approaches to understanding Asia.
The Luce Scholarship program particularly works to strengthen Asia studies in higher education. This scholarship program is currently directed at recent graduates and young professionals from a wide range of fields with limited exposure to Asia, also allowing them to get to know Asia.
Criteria for selection
- The candidate must be an American citizen.
- Candidates must demonstrate potentials for leadership and accomplishments. The scholarship program aims at candidates who will show leadership in his or her profession which do not always have a direct correlation with age and experience.
- Candidates must show characteristics that typify successful candidates such as strength of character, creativity, initiative, maturity, sensitivity, And humility.
- Candidates must not have reached the age of 30 by June 20th of the year they would enter the program. In other words, scholars must be under 30 when they leave for Asia.
- Candidates must have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent before taking part in the Luce scholarship program.
- Candidate may be nominated by one of the 75 colleges and universities.
Placements
The Asia foundation assists in the operation of the Luce scholarship program in Asia, which includes providing and developing professional placements and administrative support for the Luce scholars in Asia.
The Luce Foundation has worked with the Asia Foundation since the inception of the program making it a non-profiting governmental organization with a total number of 18 offices throughout Asia.
The Asia foundation assists in the operation of the program through a grant from the Luce Foundation, which helps in developing professional placements and providing administrative support for Luce scholars in Asia.
A senior member of its staff serves as the Luce scholarship program coordinator, The scholars are then chosen in February and contacted by the Scholarship program coordinator individually to discuss in detail their expectations and interests and to relate these to their work opportunities in Asia.
Later in the spring, the coordinator travels throughout Asia accompanied by the foundation’s representatives to explore specific placement opportunities and make arrangements with host institutions.
This process normally involves extensive correspondence with the scholars and it’s held in May. Despite the various obstacles, we put in every effort to match the individual scholar’s background, aspirations, training, and experience with appropriate placement in Asia.
A Scholars adviser can help provide names of individuals or institutions, particularly in highly technical fields in Asia, with whom the Asia foundation may need to discuss possible placements.
Luce Scholars are therefore active in Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, India, Mongolia, Philippines, Nepal, Myanmar, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. Others such as Sri Lanka and Timor are being considered ed as a new addition to the program.
For further inquiries, please reach out to us at
We say congratulations to the 2021-2022 class of Luce Scholars!