Jackson DeHaven and Hareem Mubashar, seniors at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, have been awarded two of the most highly selective merit scholarships in the nation. The Jefferson Scholars Foundation at the University of Virginia selected Jackson as one of 34 recipients of the Jefferson Scholarship and Hareem as one of 12 recipients of the Walentas Scholarship. They will commence their studies in the fall at UVA.
In order to be named a Scholar, candidates must undergo a rigorous, highly competitive, multi-stage selection process. First, they are nominated by their high schools based on their demonstrated excellence and exceptional potential in the areas of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. Walentas Scholar nominees additionally must be in the first generation in their families to attend college. Once nominated, the students go through at least one round of regional interviews. If selected as a regional finalist, students then are invited to participate in a final round of interviews. This year, over 2,700 students were nominated for the Scholarships, and nearly 200 finalists, between the two competitions, were invited to take part in remote interviews conducted by UVA alumni and faculty.
The recipients of the 2024 Jefferson and Walentas Scholarships boast a number of significant achievements and Jackson and Hareem are no exception. Both students were members of the 2024 ‘We the People’ team. Hareem was also a member of the TJ History Honor Society and served as its Secretary, as well as holding the position of Vice-President in Model Congress. Jackson, on the other hand, was a co-leader of the Newtowne Tutoring Project and also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
Jackson and Hareem will join a cohort of 144 Scholars currently funded by the Foundation at UVA, as well as a community of more than 981 Scholar alumni. In addition to receiving the full cost of attending the University for four years, Jefferson and Walentas Scholars benefit from a number of enrichment programs sponsored by the Foundation, including travel abroad, career networking activities, and a leadership speaker series.
Congratulations, Jackson and Hareem.
