A UMass Student is Named a Davidson Fellow and Receives a $25,000 Scholarship

Amherst, MA - August Siena Thomas, a senior at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, was recently named a Davidson Fellow and has been awarded a scholarship in the amount of $25,000 to further her studies. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship is a competition for youths under the age of 18 who have accomplished a substantial exposition in one of seven designated fields. Ms. Thomas submitted her application under the category of Literature; a historical novel she began writing five years ago. Ms. Thomas recently returned from Washington, DC where she attended the awards ceremony at the Library of Congress.  While in Washington, DC, Ms. Thomas met Senator John Kerry and Congressman Richard Neal, whom she was delighted to learn teaches a course here at UMass. Ms. Thomas spent over an hour with Senator Kerry’s educational liaison, discussing her unique educational experience as a gifted student. 

Ms. Thomas credits her mother, Rosanne Daryl Thomas, for creating a conducive learning environment.  Rosanne Daryl Thomas is also a member of the University of Massachusetts community as a teacher for the Commonwealth College.  Ms. Thomas left traditional elementary school at the age of 9 due in large part to the school’s inability to educate her in the manner she required. Therefore, Ms. Thomas’ mother made the difficult decision to withdraw her from school after third grade and begin home school instruction. 

This time period also marked the beginning of Ms. Thomas’s association with the Davidson Institute as a Young Scholar.   Ms. Thomas earned her high school diploma at the age of 13 and enrolled at the University of Massachusetts as a National Merit Scholar.   She was not nervous about starting at UMass at the age of 14 because she actually began taking college courses starting at the age of 11 at the Elms College.  She has a triple major consisting of Linguistics, Italian and The Ancient World, a degree constructed through BDIC program. 

Ms. Thomas reports that the University has availed many opportunities that would not have been available if she had attended a different school.  She was able to take graduate level courses, study several languages (both Greek and Italian) as well as participate in the study abroad program to Sicily.  But most of all, she has made real connections to several mentors.  August particularly thanks Cory Pols, her Commonwealth College advisor, Prof. Arturo Figliola and Prof. Elizabeth Mazzocco of the Italian Department, Prof. Laetitia La Follette of the Art History Department and Prof. Rex Wallace of Classics for their encouragement and help. "My fantastic professors and advisors have been the most wonderful part of my experience at UMass," August says. "They have been very kind and generous to me. They make all the difference."  

August Thomas will turn 18 years old two months before she graduates from the University of Massachusetts and she could not be more thrilled.  While Ms. Thomas is still contemplating where she will be going to school next year, she will take the foundation of support cultivated here at the University of Massachusetts with her.  

Article by: Gwendolyn Swan