LSA senior wins Marshall Scholarship to study in UK

ANN ARBOR—Evan Binkley, a senior in the LSA Honors Program, has been awarded the prestigious Marshall Scholarship for graduate study at a British university next year.

He is one of 46 recipients of the 2020 scholarship, given to U.S. citizens who recently completed a bachelor’s degree at an American college or university.

The scholarship provides the full cost of attendance for graduate study in any field at any United Kingdom institution. Scholars are selected based on their academic merit, leadership and ambassadorial potential.

Binkley, who is currently interning with the U.S. State Department’s Office of Art in Embassies in Washington, D.C., will return to graduate in May 2020 with an Honors History of Art major and Museum Studies minor, under the direction of Professors Ray Silverman and Bradley Taylor, respectively.

In his first year of study with the Marshall Scholarship, Binkley will attend the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and will earn his Master of Arts degree in Museums, Heritage and Material Culture Studies. For his second year, he will complete a master’s degree in African studies, also at SOAS.

“For the Marshall Scholarship, I was particularly inspired by the ability to study at any university in the United Kingdom,” he said. “My experiences at the Smithsonian Institution and State Department allowed me to visualize the contributions I could make to U.S.-U.K. relations as a Marshall Scholar.”

Binkley is especially passionate about the opportunity to engage with several key institutions, including the British Museum, Royal African Society, Tate Modern, October Gallery, United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO, and the National Gallery.

“This is an opportunity to immerse myself within the diversity of cultural institutions in London rooted within an interdisciplinary education at SOAS,” he said.

Upon completion of his studies at SOAS, Binkley plans to work to promote cultural heritage as a more integral component of diplomatic relationships between the U.K., U.S. and African countries.

“Heritage sites embody vital settings for the negotiation of identity, history and memory,” he said. “Grounded within graduate study in the United Kingdom, I am committed to lead discussions of this nature to ensure the future of our shared past. The ability to study at SOAS, a leading institution on this subject, will provide an unparalleled background to engender global change.”

The Marshall Scholarship was founded in 1953 by an Act of Parliament and commemorates the gratitude of the British people to their American counterparts. Each year, up to 50 scholars are chosen and awarded full cost of attendance for 1-2 years of graduate study at any U.K. institution in any field of study.

Written by Katie Gass

Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships

LSA Honors Program