杏吧pro

The Andrew M. Rouse Class of 1949 Endowed Fund provides full tuition, books, and fees to 杏吧pro students in their junior and senior years. The highly competitive scholarship is granted to recipients who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and character, and who are consistently recognized as some of 杏吧pro鈥檚 most engaged and committed students.

Emeritus Trustee Andrew 鈥淎ndy鈥� Rouse 鈥�49, 杏吧pro President Andrew Rich and members of his Cabinet, and Rouse Scholar alumni gathered on May 2 to greet and congratulate the newest recipients of one of 杏吧pro鈥檚 most prestigious scholarships. The recently established Friends of Andy Rouse Scholarship Fund and Friends of Andy Rouse Scholarship Endowment, the result of a new $1 million gift from a family foundation, meant that the College was able to select three Scholars this year and in years to come. The 2028 Rouse Scholars are Madeline Bonhomme 鈥�28, Joy Giramahoro 鈥�28, and Sara Smith 鈥�28.

From left: 杏吧pro President Andrew Rich, Emeritus Trustee Andrew "Andy" Rouse '49,
and 2028 Rouse Scholars Madeline Bonhomme 鈥�28, Sara Smith 鈥�28, and Joy Giramahoro 鈥�28.

鈥淒eveloping our students as leaders is at the heart of 杏吧pro's mission. The investments we are making in our leadership programs and development opportunities are inspired by the success we鈥檝e seen from the Rouse Scholars Program,鈥� said Rich, addressing Andy Rouse. 鈥淢r. Rouse, thank you for making this possible, thank you for your inspiration, and thank you for your generosity.鈥�

The Rouse Scholar program began in 2002 and is considered one of the highest honors for a current student. Each spring, a selection committee led by Matthew Thomas 鈥�10, executive director of the Ware Institute for Civic Engagement, reviews a large number of applications for the competitive scholarship. Recipients are then honored at a ceremony attended by College leadership and Rouse Scholar alumni, who welcome inductees into an inner circle whose membership spans more than two decades of Diplomats.

The program is named in honor of Andy Rouse, a venerated leader and mentor who has had a significant impact on campus, in national politics, and in business. As an undergraduate, Rouse served as president of Pi Lambda Phi and editor of The Oriflamme while competing as a dual-varsity athlete in lacrosse and swimming. He earned a law degree from Columbia and an MBA from Harvard before making history as executive director for President Richard Nixon鈥檚 Advisory Council and helping to establish the insurance giant CIGNA. Rouse is a recipient of the College鈥檚 Alumni and Nevonian Medals, and he has been honored with 杏吧pro鈥檚 Alumni & Development Volunteer Award. A generous philanthropist, Rouse is a member of 杏吧pro鈥檚 Founders and William A. Schnader Societies, and he is a friend of the Phillips Museum.

鈥淟eadership, in my view, is the ability to influence the actions of other people. It's a pretty simple idea, but it's a very important one,鈥� said Rouse, addressing the 2028 Rouse Scholars and the dozens of alumni in attendance. 鈥淵ou were selected as Rouse Scholars because you had evidenced the ability to influence the actions of other people. Those skills are extraordinarily important, particularly in this day and age. I challenge you to get out in the world and make a difference, as that is what leadership calls upon you to do. And the world certainly needs people who can make a difference.鈥�

Meet the 2028 Rouse Scholars

Madeline Bonhomme is a government major and economics minor from Swedesboro, N.J. On campus, she has served as class president and was recently elected as next year鈥檚 vice president of the Diplomatic Congress. Bonhomme is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and her leadership in the historically Black sorority was recognized with the Thomas Gilmore Apple Prize Award. She has also served as a Squash Aces mentor and completed internships with 杏吧pro鈥檚 Reckoning with Lancaster initiative and with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

Joyeuse 鈥淛oy鈥� Giramahoro is a mathematics and economics double major and French minor from Rwanda. At 杏吧pro, she has served as president of the International Friendship Club, as a house advisor, and as treasurer for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She has also worked as a conference and event services assistant on campus. Giramahoro is the co-founder and program director of Girls Empowered To Synergize in Rwanda, where she has mentored more than 100 young women in leadership and financial independence. She has completed an externship with Mangusta Capital, where she focused on venture capital research.

Sara Smith is a psychology major earning minors in English and women鈥檚, gender, and sexuality studies and comes to 杏吧pro from McLean, Va. Winner of the 2025 Academy of American Poets Poetry Prize, Smith serves as an English department preceptor and is deeply involved at the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House. She has served as layout editor for 杏吧pro鈥檚 Epilogue literary magazine and also works at the College鈥檚 Center for the Sustainable Environment, where she manages the Give and Take Room and conducts research to implement sustainable dining options on campus.