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Doe Thornburg Scholarship |
Champions students in Their Quest to be Global CitizensDoe Thornburg, the founder of IWA, believed that there is no better way to understand different cultures than to live and learn in those cultures. The annual Doe Thornburg Scholarship was established in 2013 to help college students fund their dreams of studying abroad and becoming more engaged in the world. This scholarship is awarded to undergraduates from our partner schools: Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Chicago, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Columbia College. Past scholarship recipients have participated in diverse programs such as studying anthropology in Peru, public health in Mexico, social services in Paris, and television and film in South Korea. The Doe Thornburg Scholarship program ideally expresses IWA’s mission as a 501(c)(3) Chicago cultural, social, and educational organization, where members engage in cross-cultural exchange, friendship, education, philanthropy, and community service. 2026 applications are now closed. Click the link to the right for application information. Contact the IWA Office with any additional questions. |
Scholarship Testimonies
Hear from past scholarship recipients about their time studying abroad!
I am incredibly grateful to IWA for their generous support, which made it possible for me to study abroad in South Korea. This experience profoundly shaped my academic and personal growth, expanding my global perspective, challenging me to step outside my comfort zone, and allowing me to immerse myself in a vibrant culture unlike anything I had known before.
Without the support of IWA, I would not have had access to such transformative opportunities. I am deeply thankful for their generosity and for the doors this experience has opened for my future.
-Taiwo, 2025 Scholarship Recipient
Thanks to the Doe Thornburg Scholarship, my professional ambitions became an international reality. Through the Entrepreneurship in Augmentative, Medical, Smart Sensing, and Wearable Technology program in Europe, I pitched to London’s innovation leaders at London Tech Week and collaborated with biotech pioneers in Milan. This opportunity provided the global perspective and exchange necessary to bridge the gap between technical curiosity and clinical application, which now defines my work building a physics-first multi-agent system to eliminate clinical uncertainty in cardiovascular care, addressing the disproportionate epidemic of heart disease in women. I am grateful to IWA for their pivotal support in my professional development and for making this dream of intercultural exchange and innovation a possibility.
-Madeline, 2025 Scholarship Recipient
Studying abroad in Florence, Italy was one of the most transformative experiences of my academic journey. This scholarship made it possible for me to immerse myself in a new culture while expanding my academic, professional, and personal perspective. As a fashion major, living and studying in Florence pushed me outside of my comfort zone and strengthened my ability to adapt and think globally.
Experiencing fashion, art, and history firsthand enriched my education beyond the classroom and deepened my understanding of how culture shapes global industries. I am incredibly grateful for this support, which fostered meaningful growth, confidence, and perspectives that will continue to guide my future career.
-Ava, 2025 Scholarship Recipient
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