April 22, 2022
Meghan O'Toole
A home for international students: Lake Forest College ranks second in the 2021-22 Davis Cup
Lake Forest's Davis Scholars gathered together on April 12.
Each year, the Davis United World College Scholars Program releases a report that combines each participating university’s updates and achievements in supporting Davis Scholars. This year, Lake Forest College was recognized as the first runner-up in the Davis Cup, underscoring the effort the College puts into supporting students matriculating from United World College (UWC) institutions.
Molly Noyed, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, International Recruitment, links the culture of UWC schools to Lake Forest’s. “UWC campuses put such an emphasis on sustainability, leadership, thoughtful dialogue, and general stewardship, so naturally many Davis Scholars are looking for something similar in a university,” Noyed said. “Lake Forest College is fortunate enough to provide that and be that, which I think is fostered by the continued Davis Scholar enrollment.”
Molly Noyed, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, International Recruitment
Davis Scholars are active participants on campus, and they bring a lot of dimension to the College that everyone in the Forester community appreciates. “Davis Scholars are visible leaders on our campus,” Noyed pointed out. “They are amazing student employees, they hold high-up positions in Student Government, and they are participating in and forming clubs and organizations. They also have an immense appreciation for, and recognition of, how important education is. I think how seriously our Davis Scholars take the opportunity of a great education really levels up the entire campus in a way that makes Lake Forest College a great place to be.”
But beyond what Davis Scholars contribute to campus, they will also find themselves gaining new opportunities and connections at Lake Forest that might be hard to come by. One thing that sets Lake Forest College apart from other universities is the location near the third-largest city in the United States. “Many of the UWC global campuses are in relatively, if not very, remote locations, so Scholars that are looking toward Lake Forest are often excited about not only our proximity to Chicago, but the public transportation access to the city,” Noyed said. “Independence is afforded to everybody at Lake Forest because of our natural proximity to Chicago, and students will find restaurants from their home cultures in the city as well as plenty of other cultural opportunities and world-class museums.”
Valen Ferreira ’25, UWC ISAK Japan ’21, has found a sense of belonging at the College. “Lake Forest really gives us a place and gives us a home,” Ferreira said. “I think that support translated really well from UWC to Lake Forest. They’re both really small communities that definitely care about you.”
That sense of home is exactly what Noyed strives to achieve when admitting new students. “As Lake Forest College’s liaison, I take great pride in personally connecting with every single Scholar during their enrollment process. Since Lake Forest has such a robust, sizable Davis UWC Scholar population, I love knowing that our newest Scholars will find a sense of home here,” Noyed said. “Davis Scholars find lots of care and attention here while having access to a great city and the opportunity to have so many new experiences.”
Lake Forest College President Stephen Schutt was featured in the report. He expressed appreciation for Davis Scholars at Lake Forest College, but also highlighted the unique attention and perspective they bring to campus: “The world has witnessed many challenges over the last year: a pandemic; international hostilities; drought, floods, and fires; contested elections; and still more. This sobering background could lead one to despair. Combatting that despair, however, is the spirit I see every day among the United World College students on our campus,” President Schutt said. “It is an optimistic spirit that acknowledges the scope of the challenges but is not swayed by them. It is a spirit that insists on our common humanity, our ability to work together, and our capacity to solve big problems. It is a spirit that never fails to motivate me.”
Lake Forest College students benefit not only from the close-knit community on campus, but also the diversity. The College’s significant international population ensures that Davis Scholars know “they are not the only international voices in the room,” Noyed explained.
The Davis report states that Lake Forest College has nearly doubled its Davis Scholar enrollment since 2018. Lake Forest College looks forward to welcoming more UWC graduates and bolstering the Davis Scholar community in order improve the sense of home experienced by all of our students.
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