Bringing the Best to Brown: Xelef Botan '11
Brown International Organization (BRIO) Scholarships were established in 1996 by international students to provide financial aid for international students. Donors may fully fund a scholarship, contribute to a multiple-donor BRIO scholarship, or establish a Brown Annual Fund current-use scholarship. Here is what his Brio Scholarship has meant to one of our students:
"The eldest of seven children, I would describe myself as a person who has lived through a lot, who has faced many difficulties. Both of my parents were only able to complete primary school. If I had not received a full scholarship to the high school I attended - which accepts only 30 students per year from Turkey - I probably would have had to work in a teahouse to help support my family.
"Since Inanc High School was 24 hours away by bus from my hometown, I could only visit my family once or twice a year and for no longer than a week to ten days each time. With its special environment and many opportunities, however, Inanc changed my perspective of the world. Later, I was chosen as one of only 16 students from my country to receive a full scholarship to study in the United States. I came back to my high school and finished both the International Baccalaureate and my school's curriculum.
"I am thrilled to be at Brown, one of the best universities in the world. And I am grateful for the generous financial support that enabled me to come here. Others who walked this path before me have given me an incredible opportunity to learn alongside faculty and students who are interested in both the local community and the world at large.
"I plan to study Spanish, Arabic, economics, and international politics. I hope to improve my writing skills, do some projects about Human Rights issues, and make movies. More importantly, I want to become a better thinker and a better person."
