Senior Erin McGonagle Wins Luce Fellowship

Media contact: Noelle Lemoine, communications assistant; tele: (413) 597-4277; email: [email protected]
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., February 8, 2012 – Erin McGonagle ’12 has been named one of 18 students selected nationally to participate in the Luce Scholars Program, a fellowship sponsored by the Henry Luce Foundation that provides funding, language training, and professional placement for college seniors and young professionals interested in working in Asian countries.
Every year, more than 75 colleges and universities nominate candidates with limited experience in Asia or who might not otherwise have an opportunity to work in Asia.  Luce Scholars can possess an academic background in any field besides Asian studies.  McGonagle, of Englewood, Colo., is a chemistry and art studio major at Williams College who plans to pursue a career in medicine and has a specific interest in pediatric medicine and surgery.
“What initially sparked my interest in working in Asia was actually art, not medicine,” she said. “As an art major, I have had some exposure to Asian art, and I am particularly interested in the many ways in which art pervades Asian culture, whether in traditional medical practice, religion, or the representation of policy, government, and the royal court.”
Candidates for the Luce Scholars Program must have a record of high achievement, leadership ability, and defined interests.  At Williams, McGonagle has played on the varsity women’s soccer team, served as a teaching assistant and a faculty nominated dean’s tutor, and led WISHES, a student organization that teaches local children about nutrition and exercise.
The Luce Foundation works with the Asia Foundations to place scholars in one of the 15 countries or regions in Asia. As a Luce Scholar, McGonagle plans to work with medical professionals who treat children, particularly those who have suffered from poor healthcare and disease, trauma, or natural disaster.
“I hope to become a member of the community in which I am living, to gain insight into the local culture and traditions, and to explore the country in which I am placed,” she said. “I hope that the cultural and professional experience I gain through the Luce Scholarship will allow me to better relate to a diverse group of people and eventually, as a physician, to patients from all cultures and backgrounds.”
The last Williams student to receive a Luce Fellowship was Jamin Morrison in 2002.
Established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time Inc., the Henry Luce Foundation supports grant-making programs in American art, East Asia, theology, higher education, religion and international affairs, and public policy and the environment, among others.  The not-for-profit corporation aims to strengthen international understanding and foster leadership in academic, policy, religious, and art communities.
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