Jemima Nakaweesa Senoga to attend The University of the South

New York – Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC) and the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) announced today that the 2012 Episcopal Colleges Scholarship has been awarded to Jemima Nakaweesa Senoga of Richmond, VA, who will be matriculating at The University of the South in Sewanee, TN this fall.

   In addition to her strong classroom performance, Senoga impressed the selection committee with her record of service learning and volunteering for charitable and social justice causes.  CUAC's General Secretary, the Revd Canon James G Callaway, DD, declared, "Ms Senoga's academic excellence and enthusiastic community involvement are grounded in her strong, vibrant, and active Christian faith.  With even a cursory look at all she has undertaken and achieved so early in life, it's easy to understand why she received the unanimous endorsement of the selection committee."

Established in 1997 as the William Randolph Hearst Scholarships, the Episcopal Colleges Scholarship awards $5,000 over four years to an outstanding graduate of an Episcopal high school who enrolls in one of the eight Episcopal colleges in the United States.  Alongside academic success, a track record of dedicated community service is a fundamental requirement for scholarship applicants.  In addition to the University of the South, the Episcopal colleges include Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and Bard College in New York; Kenyon College in Ohio; St Augustine's College in Illinois; St Augustine's College in North Carolina; St Paul's College in Virginia; and Voorhees College in South Carolina.

Born in Uganda, Senoga's early years were marked by the political unrest roiling the country of her birth.  In 1998 her mother was warned to emigrate to the United States for her own safety, and for the next three years Senoga and her older sister were raised in Uganda by their grandmother.  By the time the family was reunited in Richmond, Senoga was age six, and she barely remembered her mother.  But the family's sacrifices were not lost on her. 

"I know how hard it must have been for my mother to leave us," she explained, "but by doing so she made it possible for my sister and me to receive the best education possible."  Respect for learning has always been an integral part of the Anglican ethos, and Senoga noted that one of the most significant life values her mother passed on to her was the liberating effect of education—an idea so important that working multiple jobs was but one among many hardships the mother undertook to keep open every opportunity for her daughters to learn.   Her mother's example, Senoga said, "taught me never to take my education for granted, and to make the most of every opportunity."

Since arriving in the United States, Senoga has been nurtured in the rich academic tradition of the Episcopal Church.  She attended St Andrew's Elementary School, and continued her high school education at Saint Catherine's School; both of these respected Richmond institutions are affiliated with the Episcopal Church and are members of NAES.  At Saint Catherine's, Senoga's scholastic abilities flourished: with an academic focus on social studies, she embraced all four advanced placement classes the high school offered, impressing her teachers with her thorough preparation and thoughtful, active participation in class discussions.

Senoga quickly developed a reputation for responsibility and maturity which led to her being chosen as a peer advisor at Saint Catherine's.  In this capacity she listened to the questions and concerns of incoming freshmen and others, offering her insights and advice.  She provided a healthy role model by actively working to make sure all students felt welcome and valued as members of the school community.  This mentoring and peer counseling work combined with her participation in personal development activities, athletic teams, and Girl Scouts to facilitate her growth as an effective and compassionate leader.

Empathy for others, and service to them—another hallmark of the Anglican worldview—seems to be second-nature for Senoga, who enthusiastically engages individuals and communities to hear their stories and respond to their needs.  She began working in the seventh grade as a volunteer counselor at Clair's Kids Camp, an inner-city summer program, ultimately giving some 350 hours of her time helping disadvantaged children achieve their full potential.  She has tutored local elementary school students, raised money to provide surgery for children with cleft palates, helped communities learn about sustainable living, and advocated for multicultural awareness and diversity.  Her enthusiasm and energy is equally apparent as a parishioner of St Andrew's Episcopal Church, Oregon Hill, where her participation in parish life includes serving as an acolyte, assistant Sunday School teacher, lector, and on the altar guild. 

But perhaps the most impressive gift of service Senoga offers is to children she has never seen.  Before leaving Uganda, Senoga's mother and aunt founded the Circle of Peace School in Kampala, a primary school still operated by Senoga's extended family.  More than 200 of Uganda's most impoverished children, many of them orphans, receive a free primary education in the school.  From halfway around the world, Senoga volunteers to raise awareness of the Circle of Peace School and to raise funds to keep it open—placing the "liberating effect of education" within the reach of these largely forgotten children.

When asked about her upcoming matriculation at the University of the South, Senoga expresses excitement at the opportunity to delve more deeply into her two favorite areas of study: Ancient World History and Child Psychology.  Both are continuations of interests sparked in high school.  "I've always loved studying ancient history, following the shifting balance of powers and what happens as different cultures interact as a result.  And I've always loved working with kids, too; whatever I end up doing after school, it will include working with children in some way."  To undertake those studies at Sewanee is the realization of a long-held dream, she adds.  Why is that?  "It will be a chance to get to know people from different areas, different backgrounds," she answers.  "And, they have great service learning opportunities there, and a strong Christian fellowship program."

And it is in this that Senoga sees the common thread connecting all of her varied activities, both within the Church and in the world: "I'm not doing this for me," she explains.  "Christ's sacrifice makes me want to work for others, and to work well.  I can't be selfish with my time and abilities when we're called to sacrifice ourselves.  Being a servant leader is a way of becoming more like Christ."