(PR) – The British Government on December 9 announced 43 winners of the 2026 Marshall Scholarships. This new cadre of America’s most accomplished students will begin graduate studies at leading universities across the United Kingdom next year, following an intense selection process. Their academic specialties range from Neurotechnology and Medical Device Design at Imperial College London to Scriptwriting at the University of East Anglia.
Coinciding with America’s 250th birthday, this cohort’s fresh perspectives will continue to shape the special US-UK relationship for years to come.
The Marshall Scholarship program was created by an Act of British Parliament in 1953 as a living memorial to US Secretary of State General George C. Marshall and the American assistance following World War II. The scholarship offers up to three years of fully funded graduate study at any university in the United Kingdom, home to 17 of the world’s top 100 universities. Over 2,200 Americans have earned advanced UK degrees through the program in its 70-year history.
This year’s winners from the Los Angeles and Southwest USA region are:
• Elijah Jenkins (University of Chicago), Chandler, Arizona
• Sreenidhi Surineni (University of California Riverside), San Diego, California
• Lila Fowler (University of San Diego), San Diego, California
• Theodore Taplitz (Columbia University), Los Angeles, California
Paul Rennie OBE, British Consul General to Los Angeles and the Southwest USA, said: “Overseeing the Marshall Scholarship programme is one of the most impactful and rewarding parts of my role as Consul General. This prestigious programme gives brilliant young minds the opportunity to pursue graduate studies in the UK, build connections, and become ambassadors of the relationship between our two great nations. The four scholars selected in the Los Angeles Consular Region have demonstrated remarkable talent, commitment, and leadership. I have no doubt that they will go on to achieve incredible things in their futures. I am also thrilled to see the Marshalls community expand this year with University of San Diego and University of California Riverside sending their first scholars to the UK, as well as our first Marshall Scholar with a CHamoru background.”
John Raine, Chair of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, said: “As our special America 250 cohort, it is fantastic to see such a talented group of future leaders in fields spanning international relations, science, technology, health, and the humanities. We look forward to welcoming them into the strong tradition of Marshall Scholars who have contributed so much to the world and to our special UK-US relationship. I congratulate them warmly and wish them every success.”
The program received 1,023 applications from candidates across the United States. Thirty-one universities across 21 states are represented among the winners. Nearly a third of winners are from public or state universities, with two scholars from US military service academies. For the first time, scholars from the University of San Diego and University of California Riverside are among awardees.
The Marshall Scholarship allows recipients to pursue graduate degrees in nearly any subject at UK universities. The program is principally funded by the British Government, with generous support from world-class British universities, the Association of Marshall Scholars, and The British Schools & Universities Foundation.
Named for Secretary of State George C. Marshall, the Marshall Scholarship began in 1953 as a gesture of thanks for US aid under the Marshall Plan. Since then, it has remained among the most
prestigious national scholarships, offering outstanding Americans the chance to study at any UK university for up to three years. Recipients have included university presidents, six Pulitzer Prize winners, a Nobel Laureate, fourteen MacArthur Fellows, two Academy Award nominees, two US Supreme Court Justices, and a NASA Astronaut.
With more than 2,300 scholarships awarded to date, Marshall Scholars are now leading the conversation on some of the most critical issues of our time.
