Introducing the 2024 cohort of Knight-Hennessy scholars!
The 90 students are from 30 countries and are pursuing degrees in 45 graduate programs across all seven of
@Stanford
’s graduate schools. (1/3)
Meet the 2023 cohort of Knight-Hennessy scholars, the largest cohort to date. The 85 students represent 29 countries and are pursuing degrees in 38 graduate programs across all seven of
@Stanford
’s graduate schools.
The online application for the 2021 cohort of Knight-Hennessy Scholars is now open. Visit for details and to apply. Register for an online information session at to learn more about the program and admission process!
The application for the 2023 cohort of Knight-Hennessy Scholars is now open! Visit to learn more and apply. Need some help? Register for online and in-person information sessions and Q&A sessions with an admission officer at
When kindness and humility can make a world of difference and leading global challenges calls for a multidisciplinary approach, we see promise in all our Knight-Hennessy Scholars. Meet the 2020 cohort. (shown alphabetically). ().
#KHScholars2020
The application for our second cohort of scholars is now available! Receive full funding to pursue any graduate degree at Stanford, and join a community of future global leaders. Start your application here:
We seek humble and kind individuals that exhibit independence of thought, purposeful leadership, and civic mindset. Sound like you? Join a multidisciplinary, multicultural community of future global leaders. Receive funding for graduate school at Stanford. Applications open!
A Knight-Hennessy scholar's journey begins with Day One! Last week the 2022 Cohort showed up to participate in interactive sessions and activities to learn more about the people in the community and the program they will call home during their time as graduate students.
The application is open! ✅ Visit to learn more and apply to join the 2022 cohort! We host online information sessions regularly. 🖥️ Register at to hear from an admission officer and, when possible, scholars! 🎓😀
“I've wanted to walk the
@MissUSA
stage since I was a little itty-bitty girl,” says Army officer and data scientist Alma Cooper. “I’ve found that my skills—being a KH scholar and having this community and this love and support—it all managed to make me a better candidate.”
Meet Cyrus, Jocelyn, and Thay 📽️ Their Knight-Hennessy scholar journeys look different, but are bound by a common thread: a desire to make a lasting impact through their pursuit of
#highered
at
@Stanford
. Hope you’re inspired by their stories✨Full video:
Phil Knight and John Hennessy welcomed the inaugural cohort of Knight-Hennessy Scholars to campus this weekend. The first year of the King Global Leadership Program is now officially underway!
#KHScholars2018
In this episode of “Imagine A World,”
@tombear1991
discusses sustainability solutions in agriculture & water in the midst of climate change, insights from working in private equity and sustainability, authenticity in the KHS application, & more:
Janelle Chavez (2019 cohort) grew up in a tiny Texas town on the U.S.-Mexico border with one of the lowest physician-to-patient ratios in the country – so low that a doctor only visited the town once a month. Here's what she's doing now:
Mary Elizabeth Taylor brings a wealth of leadership experience in public service from Capitol Hill, the White House, and the U.S. State Department. She will share her expertise in consensus building and explore her approach to leadership with KH Scholars.
The application to join the 2025 cohort of Knight-Hennessy scholars is now open 🎉 Begin your journey to greater leadership as part of the largest, university-wide, fully-endowed graduate fellowship program.
The application to join the 2024 cohort of Knight-Hennessy Scholars is now live!
The
@Stanford
application deadline varies by program. In addition to applying to KHS, you must apply to, be accepted by, & enroll in a full-time Stanford grad program.
The excitement was palpable at Denning House this weekend as 84 new scholars filled the building for Day One, an annual KHS tradition. They learned the lay of the land, shared laughs & stories, & of course squeezed in tight for our 2023 cohort photo!
📷:Micaela Go/Christine Baker
Applications to be considered for the 2023 Cohort of Knight-Hennessy Scholars are due this Wednesday, October 12 at 1:00 pm Pacific Time. Don't forget to press submit! We look forward to getting to know you through your application.
#graduateschool
#application
#stanford
Welcome back! All current scholars and the team came together at the Autumn Town Hall to share news, catch up, and connect. The team shared important information for the program this quarter and scholars shared exciting ways all scholars can get involved in their community.
Online Information Sessions start in April! Join us to learn about the program and application requirements. Hear from an admission officer and scholars!
Register at
Applying to KHS is more than checking off a list of requirements. There is no formula for admission, and there are no scores, achievements, or stories that automatically qualify you for admission. (1/3)
From all of the staff at Knight-Hennessy Scholars, thank you to everyone who submitted an application for the 2019 cohort. We appreciate all the hard work and time you put into the process!
Tonight we honor and celebrate the
@knighthennessy
scholars who have completed the program. Thank you to each of you for your contributions to Knight-Hennessy Scholars, the community, and to each other. We wish you all the best as you continue your leadership journey!
Thinking about
#gradschool
in 2024? Join us for an online info session tomorrow, 6/14, to learn about applying to become a KH scholar at
@Stanford
. An admission officer will share an overview of KHS, the admission process, and the application. Register ⬇️
Our inaugural group of 49 students is 57 percent women and includes citizens of 20 countries pursuing degrees in 28 Stanford graduate departments. Read more about the cohort on our website:
People want to move & so do their ideas, according to research from
@Stanford
Economics PhD students
@KateReinmuth
(2022 cohort) and
@EmmaJRockall
.
How things are about to change for the vast majority of workers under the
@FTC
's new rule:
Learn how Briana Mullen and Sebastián Espinoza, recipients of KHS’s inaugural Global Impact grants, are driving meaningful change in
#education
and
#maternalhealth
through the nonprofits they founded: Education Justice Academy and Mi Tribu Foundation.
KH scholar
@DarionWallace_
's commitment to “creating & participating in spaces dedicated to advancing & cultivating Black joy, culture, knowledge, & activism” has been recognized with the 2023 President’s Award for Excellence Through Diversity!
@StanfordEd
Solomon is a 23 year old first class Chemical Eng. graduate of UNILAG, he is set to pursue his PhD studies in Chemical Engineering at Stanford University (starting Sept. 2018), as a
@knighthennessy
scholar.
Congratulations to our scholars completing the
@KnightHennessy
Scholars program
@Stanford
, including the 2018 pioneer cohort! Thank you to each of you for your unique contributions that makes the Knight-Hennessy Scholars the amazing community it is today!
#KHScholars
#Stanford
“I think [Knight-Hennessy Scholars] is a great model for solving real-world problems because the problems in the world do not care what discipline you’ve studied,” 2019 cohort scholar Ayo Dada said.
@Stanford
reflects on five years (and counting!) of KHS:
Come on in! Starting 3/9, we’re opening our doors for public tours every Thurs. @ 4pm. Let us show you the award-winning architecture, world-class art, and bright, airy spaces that make up Denning House: the KHS space on
@Stanford
’s campus. Sign up:
Scholars Anela Arifi and Dhruv Suri are representing
@Stanford
as university delegates at the
@UN
#COP28UAE
. Anela (also representing
@stanforddoerr
) is connecting with stakeholders working on waste-based liquid fuel and sustainable aviation fuel production. (1/2)
Being a KHS means being supported + cheered for throughout your career journey. On Thurs, scholars had the oppty to connect with fellows at
@Stanford_DCI
-- experts in med, business, policy, tech + beyond. The 2022 DCI cohort is eager to mentor scholars in various ways!
So excited to see the scholars as we start the academic year
@knighthennessy
@stanford
! Welcome to the 2021 cohort, welcome back to the 2019 cohort, and a special welcome to campus to the 2020 cohort.
This Friday, all Knight-Hennessy Scholars applicants will receive an application status update. Either you will be designated a finalist and invited to Immersion Weekend, or you will not be selected as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. Thank you all for your patience and good luck!
KHS program includes specialized Core Seminars often taught by Stanford faculty. These seminars give scholars the opportunity to dive deep into pressing issues on the global stage in interactive and intimate learning environments.
Suhani Jalota,
#KHScholars2018
, gave Ex. Dir. Jeff Wachtel a tour of the woman's health organization she founded in Mumbai,
@MynaMahila
. This fall, Suhani will pursue a PhD in health policy at Stanford School of Medicine:
Thank you for your interest! If you submitted your application to KHS by the deadline, make sure you apply to the graduate program of interest
@stanford
. Find the deadline for degree programs in the Admission section of our website and the websites of the program.
#graduateschool
I'm thrilled to announce that I'm going to
@Stanford
this September as a
@KnightHennessy
scholar! I will be pursuing a Master's in Learning Design & Technology at
@StanfordEd
. Honoured to be the first to represent Malawi 🇲🇼 &
@smithcollege
, respectively.🥳
The new scholars will join us in the fall to learn and build deep relationships, explore a wide array of cultures and perspectives, and prepare to address complex challenges facing the world. Congratulations, and a warm KHS welcome! (3/3)
Decarbonization equity is top of mind for KH scholar Jill Ferguson. Her solution to simplify the application process is now pending before the Senate Appropriations Committee to get benefits to people who need them most:
@SenJoshBecker
via
@Stanford
Report
We welcomed contemporary sculptor and performance artist, Nick Cave, for an in-depth conversation about creation as a means of expression and healing, in response to devastation, trauma, racism, and the need for change. The session was moderated by scholar Jaelynn Walls (2021).
Scholar Nadine Jawad, who’s in her final year at
@StanfordMed
, joins the Imagine A World podcast this week. She reflects on how she tempers cynicism, embraces joy and grief simultaneously, and is working to make healthcare accessible to all.
KH scholars just returned from an immersive Global Travel Study trip to Alaska led by Rob Dunbar, a professor in
@Stanford
’s Earth System Science department. From fisheries to forestry, they explored the impact of Alaska’s economic drivers on local people & the environment. (1/3)
Introducing “Imagine A World,” our new podcast exploring where KH scholars are from and where their dreams, hopes, and ambitions will carry them. Hosted by Willie Thompson and Taylor Goss, we hope you’ll be inspired, delighted, and challenged to dream big.
Two KH scholars, Freja Ekman (MD/PhD student in genetics) + Desmond Edwards (PhD student in microbiology and immunology), have received
@PDSoros
fellowships, which support immigrants and children of immigrants pursuing grad degrees in the US. Congrats!
#tbt
A KHS tradition, Friendsgiving, brought the scholar community and team together for an evening of warmth and gratitude. Thank you to our scholars, partners, staff, faculty, at Stanford and beyond that make KHS possible.
#community
#gratitude
#thankyou
Interested in joining the 2025 KHS cohort? We have a summer full of online and in-person admission events to help you get your questions about KHS answered. Talk directly with current scholars or get help navigating the admission process 👇
“I gave myself a chance, although I thought the likelihood of being selected was zero,” says Juanita Fonseca-Duffo about applying to KHS. Her journey to KHS and how she’s empowering young women to lead the energy transition in Colombia as a lawyer in NY:
Applications due October 10, 2019 for entry in autumn 2020. Scholars receive funding for post-graduate degree at Stanford and participate in an experiential leadership development program! Apply at or visit for more information!
Congratulations to all our 2024 completing scholars!
As KHS’s Executive Director Tina Seelig shared at our KHompletion Celebration: “Here’s to each of you—to the waves of uncertainty and opportunity that will greet you every day.”
More ⬇️
Sen. Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) has selected Knight-Hennessy scholar Jill Ferguson as the winner of his inaugural Ought to Be A Law contest, turning her idea for simplifying the process of applying for energy incentives into Senate Bill 755! Press release:
Our autumn quarter McMurtry Leadership Lecture featured Dr. Anthony Jack, an associate professor of higher ed leadership at Boston University, & faculty director of
@BUNewburyCenter
, where he works to increase understanding and equity around first-gen students on campus. (1/3)
John Hennessy,
#KHScholars
co-founder, spoke with
@forbes
@CarolineLHoward
about our pioneer cohort of scholars, the future of learning, and developing a new generation of leaders across disciplines.
I’m extremely honored and humbled to be named a Knight Hennessy Scholar! I am so excited to be joining Stanford University's PhD program in Neuroscience as a
@KnightHennessy
and
@NASEMFordFellow
. Thank you to my family, mentors, community - my crew! What a dream come true!
“Sometimes, what you need in graduate school is a cheerleader,” says Karli Moore (left) of KHS. Learn about a day in the life of the
@stanforddoerr
PhD candidate, the unlikely path Karli took to get to
@Stanford
, and her advice for anyone applying to KHS:
The Knight-Hennessy team wishes everyone a happy holiday season. Denning House will be closed for the Stanford University winter break, December 24, 2018 - January 6, 2019. We will reopen on January 7, at 8:30am. We look forward to being in touch in 2019!
15 days to the application deadline! If you are applying input your recommenders in the application so they get notified for their recommendation. Don't forget to SUBMIT your application by October 12, 2022. 🔥
#application
#checklist
#deadlines
#scholarships
#stanford
James Manyika, Senior VP, Technology and Society at
@Google
, joined us at Denning House last night to share insights on ethics in
#AI
. He encouraged attendees to explore how rapid advancements in AI impact our lives + why a multidisciplinary approach is key.
KH scholars tell us that one of the most attractive and meaningful parts of the program is the multidisciplinary community that's cultivated here. Get to know scholars across Stanford's more than 125 graduate programs, listed by school right here:
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars staff moved into Denning House today! We’ll be open for business starting on Monday, September 10. We can’t wait to welcome prospective applicants for information sessions and tours, and host events, seminars and meals here for all the scholars.
A new year and new horizons as our KH Scholars begin a new academic quarter. Wishing all graduate students at
@Stanford
a happy new year and start to Winter Quarter!
From
@Stanford
student life to
#KnightHennessyScholars
mental health support offerings, no topic was off limits at Immersion Weekend 2023. 150+ finalists from around the globe gathered for a chance to immerse themselves in real scholar life! Thanks to all who attended.
Roses are red, violets are blue, our hearts are full, from serving you! Valentine's Day gratitude for KH scholars past, present, future. Whether you’re working, studying, or spending the day with someone you ❤️, we hope you feel surrounded in friendship by the KHS community.
The Global Fellowship Forum just convened at
@Stanford
for 3 days of conversation + sharing of best practices.
#KHS
, along with seven fellowship programs and top experts on policy, climate change, and sustainability, came together to share biggest challenges and opportunities!
Scholars hosted an open house to celebrate the Denning House Art Collection, inviting guests to enjoy tours and live music performed by scholars.
The arts are an integral component of KHS. Come see the collection for yourself! Weekly tours:
Congrats to KH scholar Irfan Mahmud on receiving a Stanford Impact Leader Prize for his focus on voting rights and election law! The prizes are awarded to graduating
@StanfordGSB
students who will join an existing high-impact org in the next phase of their careers.
At the KHeystone Project Showcase, scholars shared breakthroughs/lessons from their projects on
#climatechange
, health care advocacy,
#publicservice
, and more. Projects are opportunities to gather in teams + address problems they care deeply about throughout the academic year.
2nd & 3rd yr KH scholars participate in KHommon Ground — sessions with topical focus areas to reflect and develop leadership skills. Dr. Meag-gan O’Reilly’s sessions focus on identifying and overcoming Impostor Syndrome for more effective leadership.
#leadership
#reflection
Setting intentions for the new year? How about ⬇️
✨ Be open to eye-opening experiences
💪 Explore new ideas and concepts
🙂 Build strong friendships that last a lifetime
🗺️ Find a community that holds you accountable to make changes for yourself and the world.
Join KH scholars Daniel Reyes Elizondo and Juanita Fonseca (2021 cohort) for a session about life as a
@Stanford
grad student and KH scholar. Event intended for Spanish-speaking applicants, in particular from Latin America. Join us 5/10 at 5–6 p.m. (PT).
Our community gathered at Denning House on Thursday to celebrate five years of KHS! We toasted to the founders, team members, donors, faculty, board members, mentors, staff, & the 425 scholars who have been on this journey since our pioneer cohort in 2018. Here’s to many more 🥳
Scholars, guests, and the KHS community enjoyed a night of beautiful music in Denning House. Christopher Costanza and Debra Fong performed at the annual Wachtel Concert, in honor of Jeff Wachtel. Intro by Scholar Taylor Goss (2021 cohort).
Celebrating female trailblazers all month long: We asked
@LillieReed
(2019 cohort) who inspires her in her pursuit to advance health equity and social justice, and she chose fellow
#KnightHennessy
scholar, the inspirational Gloria Chikaonda!
Happy
#WomensHistoryMonth
First-year medical student
@johnnyp_quest
is on the podcast this week talking about being the 1st in his family to attend an
#IvyLeague
and his journey to medicine. His tips on how to balance grit with grace and handle bad days as they inevitably come:
The KHS Admission team is heading to England, Ireland, and Scotland this month! If you or someone you know would like to learn more about the Knight-Hennessy Scholars experience, tap below for dates and details about our upcoming info sessions.