Earlham friends to reunite in Sweden as Future Nobel Laureate Scholarship recipients

Two Earlhamites from the Class of 2022 are reuniting this winter in Stockholm, Sweden, as recipients of a scholarship program inspired by the spirit of the Nobel Prize.

Trevor Marimbire and Daryl Mifsud are both Future Nobel Laureate Scholarship recipients, an award given to just 10 future leaders from around the world each year. Scholars participate in a virtual intercultural learning course and are invited on an all-expenses paid trip to participate in the 2022 Nobel Week Dialogue. The annual event brings together Nobel Prize laureates, leading scientists and experts, key opinion leaders and policy makers to explore scientific topics through a global lens.

Marimbire was chosen for the scholarship as part of the program’s cohort in 2021 but the Covid pandemic delayed Nobel Week festivities for a year. When Mifsud was selected for the 2022 cohort, a serendipitous reunion was put in motion for the fellow Earlhamites whose friendship began as high school students at the United World College Maastricht in the Netherlands.

“This feels like something out of a movie and we both are so excited to have been selected,” said Mifsud, a senior who will graduate in December with a degree in peace and global studies.

“We go way back. We’ve grown up together and continued to grow together at Earlham. We lived together and we convened organizations together,” he said. “Trevor really paved the way for this opportunity and it’s a beautiful thing. There are no words for it. I can’t wait to link up again in Sweden.”

During Nobel Dialogue Week sessions, Marimbire and Mifsud will hear lectures from the latest recipients of the Nobel Prize and explore Sweden with an expert guide, including stops at City Hall, the Nobel Prize Museum, and the Bergh School of Communication. The Future Nobel Laureate Scholarship program covers textbooks, airfare and accommodations.

“This opportunity was attractive to me because it reminded me of my Earlham education,” said Marimbire, who earned a degree in economics in May and is now working for the Philadelphia consulting firm, Econsult Solutions Inc. “This is all about engaging in dialogue to resolve issues and listening and learning from different people. I’m really glad to have been chosen for this.”

“This feels like something out of a movie and we both are so excited to have been selected. We go way back. We’ve grown up together and continued to grow together at Earlham. We lived together and we convened organizations together. Trevor really paved the way for this opportunity and it’s a beautiful thing. There are no words for it. I can’t wait to link up again in Sweden.”

Daryl Mifsud (pictured left)

“Something that has really stood out for me was having a chance to meet leaders and fellow students who share our commitment to advancing social justice and bridging gaps in intercultural competency and communication,” Mifsud added. “This is a great opportunity to work on issues that our generation is going to have to deal with throughout our lives.”

Applicants for the Future Nobel Laureate Scholarship program participate in an interview and must submit multiple letters of recommendations for consideration. Mifsud received letters from Joanna Swanger, the director of Earlham’s Peace and Global Studies program, and Lailul Ikram, the College’s assistant director of interfaith initiatives, ombudsman mediator. Marimbire worked with Jamey Pavey, director of the Center for Environmental Leadership, and Joe Lepone, the director of student engagement for campus activities and events.

“As international students, we don’t always have the same connections or family close by like others have in the American educational system,” he said. “Jo and Ikram went the extra mile for me. They were like mentors. They knew different sides of me as a person and as a student. They were natural choices for me.”

“Even though Jamey’s area of expertise was far from what I’ve majored in, I am interested in environmental sustainability, and I connected with her through research, and it was amazing,” Marimbire added. “Joe gave me my first job at Earlham and he guided me through everything I did. The dedication of Earlham’s faculty really made a difference in getting accepted into this program.”

The Future Noble Laureate Scholarship program is a collaboration between the Forum on Education Abroad, the College Study Division of Education First and the Nobel Prize Museum.