Two University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service students each received $40,000 Rotary Foundation Global scholarships.
Darlynton Adegor of Delta, Nigeria, and Vinay Raj of Chennai, India, received the scholarships, which can be used for academic and travel costs for the degree program.
The master of public service degree program is two years and includes several core courses and three field projects: one that takes students into Arkansas communities, another that could take them around the world and a capstone that allows students to use what they learned to help a government or nonprofit group, according to the school's website.
"We are most grateful to Rotary for awarding these prestigious scholarships to two outstanding Clinton School students," Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford said in a statement. "Rotary's commitment to service throughout Arkansas, America and the world is appreciated and serves as an ongoing positive example for others."
The grants came from Rotary District 6150, which includes central and northeast Arkansas, according to a news release. Paul Ford, the district governor, also worked with 12 other Rotary districts nationwide for the sponsorship, the news release said.
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This is the second year the Rotary Foundation has partnered with the Clinton School to offer the scholarships, school spokesman Greg Steinsiek said. Academic advisers encourage students to apply for scholarships, including the one offered by the Rotary Foundation, he said.
Adegor graduated from Lagos State University and the Nigerian Law School before working as an attorney with the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the school said.
Raj graduated from the University of Madras and went on to earn a master's degree in public health from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a doctorate degree in bioinformatics from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
The two are not the only Clinton School students to earn the scholarships. Demas Soliman of Alexandria, Egypt, and Arjola Limani of Tirana, Albania, were last year's recipients and are currently working on their capstone -- or final, individual public service project -- at the Clinton School.
Metro on 12/15/2016