The Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) launched the Robert C. Byrd Memorial Scholarship Program Wednesday in an event at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center in Washington, D.C., that featured Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Representative Virginia Foxx (R,NC-5), Co-chair of the Congressional Turkish Caucus and H.E. Namik Tan, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the United States,
The scholarship, named in honor of late Senator Robert C. Byrd, a devoted friend of Turkey and the longest-serving member of Congress in history, will provide $5,000 annually renewable scholarships to Turkish American college students hailing from the Appalachian region, which spans 13 states from New York to Mississippi, including Senator Byrd's home state of West Virginia.
The family of Senator Byrd issued a statement on the occasion of the scholarship announcement, expressing their sincere appreciation and noting that, “throughout his long career, Senator Byrd was a great supporter of close ties between the United States and Turkey. He was also a strong proponent of education, so we see this as a double testimonial to his enduring memory.”
The Robert C. Byrd Memorial Scholarships are awarded competitively to Americans of Turkish or Turkic heritage from the Appalachian states who are pursuing a career in public affairs and who demonstrate a commitment to community service.
“I personally value the importance and meaning of scholarships and student exchanges," said Senator Rockefeller. "It is a truly effective way to build cultural understanding and knowledge over time. The students who receive this scholarship will have the chance to learn about the history of one of the more productive and dedicated legislators of our time, Robert Byrd. Just as I do, Senator Byrd deeply valued education, and it is my hope that his legacy will inspire each student who earns this scholarship.”
Senator Byrd had a long track record of promoting and defending the U.S.-Turkey relationship since his first visit to Turkey as a young congressman in 1955, including taking courageous stances against legislation that would have been detrimental to the relationship. Notably, beginning in 2000 Senator Byrd was the driving force behind the creation of the Appalachian-Turkish Trade Project, an initiative to promote trade and investment programs, and to build a long-lasting and mutually meaningful relationship between the 13 Appalachian states and Turkey.
"There are few public servants in history whose legacy has the capacity to inspire future generations of students as much as Senator Byrd's," said G. Lincoln McCurdy, TCA President. "His love of the constitution and dedication to the institution of the U.S. Congress, in addition to his knowledge of and commitment to Turkey, will inspire Turkish American students across Appalachia to pursue education and careers in public service sectors."
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx thanked TCA for providing scholarships and congressional internships to young Turkish Americans and praised the role TCA plays on Capitol Hill. Ambassador Tan recalled his admiration for the wisdom and experience of Senator Byrd, whom he had met as a diplomat in his previous tours in Washington. The Ambassador also stated that he felt TCA’s most significant contribution to US-Turkey relations was to involve young Americans in expanding people-to-people ties between the two countries.
TCA has established a diverse array of scholarship programs that support its educational mission. The TCAdvance Scholarship Program aims to engage and cultivate a new generation of young Turkish American leaders; the TCA Study Abroad in Turkey Scholarship Program for African American, Hispanic American, Native American and Armenian American college students is designed to foster relations between American minorities of diverse backgrounds and enhance the role of young people in advancing mutual understanding and friendship between the United States and Turkey. TCA now also offers grants to faculty-led study tours or courses in Turkey.
To learn more about the Robert C. Byrd Memorial Scholarship Program and other TCA scholarship opportunities, visit TCA online at www.turkishcoalition.net/scholar.html or contact Ms. Zeynep Guven at zguven@turkishcoalition.net.
