Fulbright College Announces its 2018 Jessamy Eve Samuels Memorial Scholarship Recipients

L-R: Jillian Brugger, Georgina “Gigi” Powell, Jessamy Eve Samuels

The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas has named its 2018 recipients of the Jessamy Eve Samuels Memorial Scholarship, which was established in 2016 to honor the award’s namesake.

This year, Jillian Brugger of Centerton, and Georgina “Gigi” Powell of Conway, were selected for the award, which is given to two incoming freshmen each year. Both Brugger and Powell will receive $5,000 a year for four years toward their studies, as long as they maintain all scholarship requirements.

Last year’s recipients, Joseph Pardue of Fayetteville, and Abigail Rhodes of North Little Rock, will also both continue to receive the scholarship.

The Samuels family and other donors contributed more than $100,000 to create the Jessamy Eve Samuels Memorial Scholarship. Jessamy passed away in May 2016 after a tragic fall while hiking at Hawksbill Crag in Newton County, devastating those close to the vibrant 19-year-old freshman. She was an honors student in the Fulbright College and was interested in studying anthropology and journalism.

“Jessamy had an unparalleled love of learning and a constant drive to empower others in any passion that they wished to pursue,” said her older sister, Cicely Samuels. “Through this scholarship, we hope to echo her hopes by empowering young people to throw themselves into an educational journey at this fantastic university that Jessamy was proud to call her school.”

To qualify for the scholarship award, students must be graduates of a public Arkansas high school, meet GPA and ACT requirements, intend to be an honors student, display leadership abilities and be involved in extracurricular activities.

Jillian Brugger plans to double-major in political science and either anthropology or international studies, as well as minoring in Spanish. She competed on her high school’s debate team and will serve as a judge this year for their state tournaments. In addition to a love of politics, she loves to read and is currently making her way through the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Brugger said she want to go in the political field in either civil servitude or academic research, possibly working for the local or national government. Eventually, she hopes to run for a state-level position in the Arkansas House of Representatives.

“This scholarship will allow me to be able to afford to both study abroad and attend graduate school,” Brugger said. “These experiences are priceless to me because I will be given the opportunity to study and obtain new perspectives on political and social lives in other areas of the globe. Graduate school will allow me to gain a higher degree of education, preparing me to serve my future constituents and make Arkansas a better place to live.”

Georgina “Gigi” Powell plans to major in history, mathematical sciences or apparel merchandising, as well as minoring in a language such as French. She has been a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Walk and Northwest Fashion Week, and enjoys trying local restaurants with friends, running, thrift shopping and reading everything from the Iliad to The Hate U Give.

Powell said she is considering a future career in politics and public service, and is also interested in working in fashion as a personal stylist. She would also like to open a breakfast food truck, and is already formulating a plan for gaining a following and eventually a storefront.

“From what I have read, Jessamy had a quick wit, a fire to succeed, and, possibly more important, a yearning to encourage others to succeed,” Powell said. “To receive this scholarship is a great honor, because it is a reminder that it is not enough to succeed by yourself, you have to uplift and encourage others around you as well.”

For more information about the Jessamy Eve Samuels Memorial Scholarship or to apply, please visit the scholarship page.

For more information about Jessamy Eve Samuels’ life and legacy, please read this story.