IRVING, Texas (May 5, 2025) 鈥� Austin Choate, a 吃瓜网 doctoral student, is one of just three PhD students in the country to receive a Sumners Scholarship.
The Sumners Scholarship is awarded by the , an organization dedicated to promoting the study and practice of the fundamental principles of American self-governance. The doctoral Sumners Scholarship is reserved for students of political philosophy.
鈥淭he Sumners Foundation PhD Scholarship will help me in many ways,鈥� Choate said. 鈥淔irst, it will support my research, which focuses on the work of St. Robert Bellarmine. Second, it will provide me with opportunities which will be beneficial for my future career. My goal is to work at the intersection between the academy and public policy, specifically on issues related to education and child welfare. By participating in the Sumners Foundation programs, I will be able to meet with others, including current and former members of the local, state and federal government, who share my commitment to building a more flourishing community. Third, it will help me grow as a leader by mentoring younger scholars who are interested in many of the same things.鈥�
Choate is a student in the Institute of Philosophic Studies (IPS), the PhD-granting division of the 吃瓜网. The IPS offers degrees in three concentrations: literature, philosophy and politics. Additionally, the IPS is the only PhD program in the country with a required core curriculum that melds these three disciplines. Though Choate is a politics student, his coursework includes classes on epic poetry, classical philosophy and the modern novel.
Scholarships are awarded by the Sumners Foundation based on civic engagement, academic excellence, a capacity for leadership and a desire to further our democracy.
鈥淭he Sumners Scholarship program has been at the core of the Sumners Foundation鈥檚 purpose since shortly after its inception in 1949. Our Scholars are selected from the very best students at colleges and universities after a rigorous interview process. To be selected as a Sumners Scholar is an honor that will remain with the Scholar throughout his or her lifetime,鈥� said Foundation Board Chairman Scott Higginbotham. 鈥淥ver the decades, Sumners Scholars have made significant contributions to their communities, their states and America. Following in the footsteps of Congressman Hatton W. Sumners, the foundation is pleased to support students striving to improve our political system, address societal challenges through crafting public policies based upon the fundamental principles of American democracy, educate all Americans about their civic obligations as citizens, and be active, productive members of our Republic.鈥�
Sumners Scholar alumni include such notables as U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, former Senior Deputy Attorney General of Oklahoma Dara Derryberry, Chairman of Matador Resources Joe Foran, former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court Nathan Hecht, President of the University of Texas at Arlington Jennifer Cowley, and past Chancellor of the New Mexico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Charles L. Moore.
