Presidential Scholar Becomes First Scranton Student to Earn Mitchell Scholarship

Christopher Kilner was among just 12 undergraduate and graduate students in the United States chosen as a 2017 George J. Mitchell Scholar.

Christopher Kilner, the founder and chair of a nonprofit organization, triathlete, triple major and student government president at The University of Scranton, was among just 12 undergraduate and graduate students in the United States chosen as a 2017 George J. Mitchell Scholar.

Recipients of the scholarship, named in recognition of the former senator’s contributions to the Northern Ireland peace process, are selected on the basis of academic distinction, leadership and a sustained commitment to community and public service through a competitive vetting process that attracted 284 applicants this year. Scholars will spend a year of post-graduate study at institutions of higher learning in Ireland.

Kilner was among the dozen students representing prestigious universities such as Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. He is the only 2017 Mitchell Scholar currently studying at a Jesuit university. One other recipient is a graduate of Georgetown University who is now pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Notre Dame.

“For a student from Scranton to be listed alongside recipients from Harvard, Princeton and Duke, I hope future students can see what an amazing place Scranton can be for them,” said Kilner, who views leadership as “not what you can do individually, but rather what you can inspire others to accomplish.” 

Read the full story here.

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