Recipients are awarded generous packages that include full tuition, residence hall fees, textbooks, and academic enrichment opportunities such as conferences, research and study abroad. Moreover, the scholars are part of a cohort that bonds throughout their undergraduate years.

Alumnus Jonathan Gutmann was a Stamps Scholar before he graduated in 2020. He described the program as “life-changing.”

Noting that Tulane already offers plenty of support for students in general, he said, “One thing that from the very beginning was clear to me was that the Stamps Scholarship represented a particular level of support for me as a student … I had an immediate built-in cohort of people to get to know … about 20 students, really high-achieving students who are leaders, just really great students all around. And being part of that cohort for me was very special.”

Through its student conferences and other leadership initiatives, the program provides connections with scholars around the country, giving students a shared experience beyond the campus.

Jasmine Kiley, who is a biochemistry major in her senior year in the School of Science and Engineering, is a Stamps Scholar from Rochester, New York.

Aside from the financial benefit of full tuition, “it’s really shaped my student experience, especially this past year,” Kiley said.

Kiley said that when she arrived at Tulane, the Stamps director at the time encouraged the scholars to meet and get to know each other. “We were excited about that because we really wanted to foster this sense of togetherness. And I think that we’ve really been able to accomplish that with the two classes that have come since. The idea of building community has become a big part of learning my leadership style.”

It’s helpful to be in a cohort with like-minded individuals, most of whom are driven to succeed, Kiley added.

Businessman E. Roe Stamps and his wife, Penny, founded the Stamps Scholars program in 2006 for “the purpose of enabling extraordinary educational experiences for extraordinary students.”

Today, with about three dozen partner schools around the country, Stamps Scholars creates this unique opportunity for about 250 new university students per year.

Kiley’s experiences include working in a biomedical engineering lab, traveling abroad and attending Stamps conferences. She plans to attend medical school after graduating from Tulane.

“Knowing that I have that network has been such an incredible environment in which to flourish,” she added. “And I really feel excited for all the incoming scholars who are going to have this experience.”

Applications for the scholarship are submitted through Tulane’s Office of Undergraduate Admission. High school students may apply for the Stamps Scholarship during the fall semester. For more information on the application process, including deadlines, read the Merit Scholarships page.