David Williams ’14 (Chicago) has won the esteemed Beinecke Scholarship.

Each Beinecke scholar receives $4,000 immediately prior to entering graduate school and an additional $30,000 while attending graduate school. There are no geographic restrictions on the use of the scholarship, and recipients are allowed to supplement the award with other scholarships, assistantships and research grants.

Williams, who majored in philosophy and concentrated in French and Francophone Studies, wants to enter graduate school to become a professor. “Teaching is something I want to do, and it's something that I am confident that I can learn to do well,” he said.

“The support of the Beinecke Scholarship Program provides at least two things,” said Williams. “It relieves a substantial financial barrier to my entering and completing a doctoral program, and, more importantly, it is indicative that others support my aspirations.”

Williams undertook greater responsibility and learned how to better help others as a resident assistant. A Mellon Mays Fellowship allowed him to further explore research and his time at the Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers gave him important skills for applying to graduate school.

Deeply appreciative of Carleton, Williams said, “I am proud to have represented Carleton College in my application, and I owe everyone who assisted my winning this scholarship a great many thanks.”

The Beinecke Scholarship seeks to encourage and enable highly motivated students to pursue opportunities available to them and to be courageous in the selection of a graduate course of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

For more information on the Beinecke Scholarship, visit its website.