WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Feb. 12, 2010 -- The Gates Cambridge Scholarship program has announced Williams College alumna Emily Gladden ‘07 as one of 29 Americans to receive the scholarship to study at Cambridge University in October 2010. 

Eight hundred American students applied for The Gates Cambridge Scholarship this year, of whom 104 were interviewed and 29 were selected.  Selection was based on their ability to meet four scholarship criteria: intellectual ability, leadership potential, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and a good fit with Cambridge.

The scholarship covers the full cost of studying at Cambridge, as well as airfare and a living allowance.

“I am thrilled to be heading off to Cambridge and to be surrounded by a community of scholars from around the world who share my desire to engage with the tough issues of our time,� Gladden said.  “I am extremely interested in the Gates primarily because it espouses a commitment to reducing inequalities and improving lives around the world.�

Gladden, who is from Princeton, N.J., plans to pursue an M.Phil. degree in criminology at Cambridge University’s Clare College.  She is particularly interested in young and first-time offenders, reducing recidivism, and improving rehabilitation efforts.

She received her B.A. Magna Cum Laude in psychology and English.  At Williams, she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, founded Students Against the Death Penalty, and was a member of the varsity squash and lacrosse teams.

“Williams helped launch me down this path, fueling and sharpening my focus to work with young offenders,� Gladden said.

She added that courses like Psychology and the Law and Clinical and Community Psychology, taught by psychology professors Saul Kassin and Marlene Sandstrom peaked her interest in “the contextual factors surrounding crime.� Gladden wrote her senior thesis on people’s perceptions of crime and reactions toward criminals.

After graduating, she worked for a year as research assistant at the John Jay School of Criminal Justice on a prospective longitudinal study on child abuse and neglect. She currently works as a paralegal supervisor for the Federal Defenders, Inc. in the Eastern District of New York, representing indigent clients charged with federal crimes. 

After studying in England, Gladden plans to attend law school in the United States.

Gladden is the fourth student from Williams to be named a Gates Cambridge Scholar, following Shannon Chiu ‘08, Alan Rodrigues ‘07, and Shawn Powers ‘04. 

The scholarships were instituted in October 2000, with a donation of $210 million by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge. The international scholarship program enables outstanding graduate students from outside the United Kingdom to study at the University of Cambridge. 

END

Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college’s 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students’ educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student’s financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.

To visit the college on the Internet: http:/ www.williams.edu/ Williams College can also be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/williamscollege and Twitter:  http://twitter.com/williamscollege

News: Laura Corona