MBHS senior wins prestigious scholarship to University of Virginia

One of the nation’s most prestigious colleges, the University of Virginia is located in historic, picturesque Charlottesville and was founded by Thomas Jefferson.

Appropriately, the University of Virginia bestows a small number of coveted, very competitive Jefferson Scholarships.

It is considered one of the most highly selective merit scholarships in the nation.

And this year, Maggie Doyle, a 2021 graduate of Mountain Brook High School, was chosen as one of only 38 recipients of the award.

The announcement was made May 17 by the Jefferson Scholars Foundation.

Doyle will begin her studies at the University of Virginia this fall.

In order to be named a Jefferson Scholar, candidates must undergo a rigorous, highly competitive, multi-stage selection process.

In fact, no one can apply for the scholarship on their own, according to the program website.

Students must be nominated by their high schools based on their excellence and exceptional potential in the areas of leadership, scholarship and citizenship.

Once nominated, the students go through at least one round of regional interviews.

If selected as a regional finalist, students are then invited to participate in a final round of interviews.

This year, over 2,100 students were nominated for the scholarship, and 125 finalists were invited to take part in remote interviews conducted by University of Virginia alumni and faculty.

“The mission of the Jefferson Scholars Foundation is to benefit the University of Virginia by identifying, attracting, and nurturing individuals of extraordinary intellectual range and depth,” according to the program website.

The scholarship program “was founded to bring individuals to the University of Virginia who want to use their talents in ways bigger than themselves — for the good of the University and the world beyond,” the website states.

The 38 recipients of the 2021 Jefferson Scholarship must also boast a number of significant achievements, and Doyle is no exception.

During her time at Mountain Brook High School, she excelled in rigorous classes across the curriculum, according to the news release.

Doyle is a talented debate student and, as a senior, chaired the debate team’s mentoring program. She also won several debate tournaments and qualified for the National Debate Tournament and the Tournament of Champions.

She is also a member of the YouthServe Youth Action Council, served as co-president of the Justice Club and volunteered with the Birmingham Education Foundation.   

Jefferson Scholars receive the full cost of attending the university for four years.

Not only that, but they benefit from a number of enrichment programs sponsored by the Foundation.

These activities include travel overseas, career networking, an outdoor challenge program and a leadership speaker series.

The total value of a Jefferson Scholarship for an out-of-state student at the University of Virginia is nearly $300,000, according to the program’s website.

For more about the Jefferson Scholarships, go to jeffersonscholars.org.