University senior Breanna Carrie Detwiler has been named a 2009-2010 George J. Mitchell Scholar, making her the first Elon student to receive the award since the competitive scholarship was created in honor of a former United States Senator who helped broker a peace accord in Northern Ireland.
The Alliance named a dozen scholars for next year out of 300 applications drawn from colleges and universities across the nation. The award funds one year of postgraduate study in any discipline offered at a college or university in Ireland and Northern Ireland, and applicants are judged on three criteria: academic excellence, leadership, and “commitment to service and community.”
This is the tenth year that the awards have been given by the Alliance.
After graduating from Elon in May 2009, Detwiler will spend a year at University College Cork earning a master’s degree in law before returning to the United States to continue her legal education.
“These twelve young men and women represent exactly the kind of courage and optimism that perfectly commemorates and builds on the incredible legacy of Senator Mitchell,” said Mary Lou Hartman, director of the George Mitchell Scholarship program, in a news release on the Alliance’s web site.
Detwiler is an Elon University Honors Fellow and a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society who is majoring in environmental studies with minors in non-violence and religious studies. With research interests in food security and farmland conservation, the 21-year-old wants to attend law school for the study of environmental law.
A 2005 graduate of Fauquier High School, Detwiler is the daughter of Feliecia Brooks Detwiler. The Virginia native made university history this year when she was named a 2008 Truman Scholar and a 2008 Udall Scholar. It was the first time an Elon student received either honor.
“I was trying to stay calm because I was so excited,” said Detwiler, commenting on when she learned she had been selected. “I was in disbelief, especially after meeting the amazing other finalists.”
An activist on Elon’s campus and in the surrounding community, Detwiler manages the Elon Community Garden and helps care for families in need both through her “Food for Families” program and through her work with Allied Churches Emergency Night Shelter. She is a member of Whole Earth and College Democrats, works on the Student Environmental Sustainability Council, is active in Students for Peace and Justice, and serves as the student coordinator of the Elon Academy.
“Elon University is nationally recognized for its community service and academic service learning initiatives, so it is not unusual to find Elon students doing great things within the community,” Elon President Leo M. Lambert and professor Janet Myers, coordinator of national and international fellowships, wrote in a nomination letter for the Mitchell scholarship. “Even within this context, however, Bre stands out for her exceptional leadership and commitment within the realm of community service.”
Detwiler credited her achievements in part to Myers, who helped her to prepare applications and ready for interviews, and to faculty members who offer their own mentorship and encouragement as she plans for post-Elon studies.
“The freedom I’ve had on this campus for leadership opportunities and service areas I have an interest in, with the Elon Academy and the Community Garden … that’s definitely been a big part of my success,” Detwiler said.