Yongjun Heo '09 Awarded Mitchell Scholarship
Yongjun Heo '09 Awarded Mitchell Scholarship
by Stacey Kutish
11/24/2009
Yongjun Heo '09 has been awarded a Mitchell Scholarship for the 2010-2011 academic year. Awarded to just twelve students nationally, the Mitchell Scholars Program provides support for one year of postgraduate study in Ireland or Northern Ireland in any discipline. Heo plans to study public health at University College Dublin.
"Yongjun Heo is an amazing young man and the Mitchell Scholarship recognizes his considerable academic credentials, leadership, and dedication to community," said Swarthmore College President Rebecca Chopp. "We are so proud of the work he's already done to improve the health of people in developing parts of the world, and look forward to hearing much more about his contributions in the coming years."
Heo graduated from Swarthmore with a double major in biology and public policy. While at Swarthmore he founded Pemón Health Inc., a nonprofit organization that brings together college students, health professionals, and indigenous Pemón people in Venezuela in an effort to improve villager health through the implementation of sustainable community health programs. His senior thesis focused on the creation of a social safety net program to improve health in rural developing areas in the world. In addition to his public health work, Heo also served as the Swarthmore Student Council President and ran on the Men's Track and Field team.
After graduating from Swarthmore, Heo moved to Hanoi, Vietnam to work at the Institute of Population and Development Studies as a Luce Scholar.
Recipients of the Mitchell Scholarship are selected for their academic excellence, leadership, and a sustained commitment to service and community. The scholarship provides tuition, housing, a living expenses stipend, and an international travel stipend. Sponsored by the US-Ireland Alliance, the scholarship honors former U.S. Senator George Mitchell’s contributions to the Northern Ireland peace process.
