Oxford Recognizes APU Student’s Excellence

Students seeking an academically robust study-away program aspire to the Scholars’ Semester in Oxford. Those accepted into the prestigious program gain privileged access to the University of Oxford, as well as its libraries and resources; meet with renowned scholars, historians, authors, and ambassadors one on one; and engage in rigorous study of multiple disciplines. At the close of each semester, Scholarship & Christianity in Oxford (SCIO), the United Kingdom subsidiary of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), recognizes the top students in the program with the de Jager prize for exceptional academic performance. This year, APU’s Hayden Royster ’18 earned the honor in the British Culture category for his outstanding academic application and ability.

Funded by generous donations from Geoffrey and Caroline de Jager, who have a long-standing commitment to encouraging excellence in education and scholarship, the award serves as a mark of distinction for all who receive it. One of 10 students awarded during the spring 2017 semester, Royster received the recognition for his significant contributions to the academic experience and the quality of his essays, which were evaluated for “originality of conception, ease of handling primary and secondary sources, professional handling of scholarly apparatus, lucid and statistically appropriate prose, and effective rebuttal of counterarguments.”

Royster, while pursuing a double major in English with a writing concentration and honors humanities, as well as a theater arts minor, participated in the Oxford Semester with 10 fellow APU students and almost 40 others from CCCU colleges. This award affirms his passion for writing short stories, plays, films, and articles. As Royster completes the final stages of his undergraduate degree, he has applied for a Fulbright Scholarship to teach in Malaysia, and has begun making plans to pursue a Master of Fine Arts and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing.

Posted: May 7, 2018