A group of 22 Elizabethtown College students attended the Stamps Scholars National Convention, which was held at The Georgia Institute of Technology on March 31 through April 2.
Accompanied by Etown Professor of Psychology Dr. Jean Pretz and Professor of Spanish Dr. Charla Lorenzen, Etown’s Stamps Scholars joined over 700 peers from across the nation for the first in-person conference since 2019. Throughout the weekend, students participated in community engagement and academic enrichment sessions along with keynote speaker panels, all of which were planned and facilitated by other scholars. Session topics included environmental justice, the importance of play, and the high cost of insulin.
“Attending the Stamps Convention was truly an incredible opportunity,” senior Stamps Scholar Ally Bonicker ’23 said. “Spending three days surrounded by so many inspiring, like-minded individuals was an experience unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of, and I feel so lucky to be involved in a scholarship program that goes to such great lengths to establish a strong community amongst its recipients.”
During the Stamps Scholars Expo, students had the opportunity to share unique aspects of their education with various poster presentations. A wide range of academic fields were represented, displaying the well-rounded interests of scholars. Ahsa Sadhukhan ’25, Nick Zonarich ’24, and Olivia Kurtz ’24 presented their poster, “Rethinking Leadership” which summarized Etown’s Honors Course, “Rethinking Leadership; Creativity, Collaboration, and Social Change” taught by Dr. Pretz, who serves as Director of Elizabethtown Stamps Scholarship Program.
“It was wonderful to have so many scholars show interest and curiosity on how to develop leadership skills,” Actuarial Science major, Zonarich said.
Along with academic talents, the musical abilities of Stamps Scholars were also showcased at the Scholar Talent Show.
The a cappella group performed together on stage at the Scholar Talent Show.
Ally Bonicker ’23, Charlotte Long ’24 and Miriam Englehardt ’24 performed with an a cappella group that they formed at the event with four other scholars from the University of Connecticut, Virginia Tech, and Dartmouth College.
“It was a great experience getting to work with other students from across the country and come together for our shared passion for music,” Long said.
About the Stamps Scholars Program
The Stamps Scholars Program was founded by E. Roe Stamps and his late wife Penny in 2006, with the purpose of enabling extraordinary educational experiences. The Stamps Scholars program is implemented at 37 other institutions, creating a community of bright individuals across the nation. At Elizabethtown College, the Stamps Scholarship is the most generous merit-based award for students who exemplify leadership, perseverance, scholarship, service and innovation.
