Shaw Named First Recipient of Aden Scholarship

Global Scholar Jack Shaw (’24 cohort) knew he wanted to return to Paris after a chaotic two-day layover on a high school orchestra trip to Germany. This summer, the rising third-year KU student majoring in American studies and history and double minoring in French and philosophy, finally had the opportunity to make it happen. Shaw attended the Paris Summer Language Institute (Paris SLI), earning nine credit hours towards his minor in French.

Shaw received the inaugural Mackenzie Aden Scholarship for Global Scholars to help fund his study abroad opportunity. Aden traveled for the first time abroad as a Global Scholar and established the scholarship to support Scholars in their dreams of studying abroad and gaining a better understanding of global citizenship. Shaw feels grateful to be the first recipient of the scholarship and connected to the larger community of KU Global Scholars.

“This scholarship connects me further to the existing Global Scholars community, and may yet still connect me to future recipients,” said the Overland Park native. “I understood that being in Paris was my single best chance to work towards fluency. My time there gave me a deeper appreciation and familiarity with France, the French language, and Parisian culture.

Shaw adds that being present for the Euro [soccer] Cup and preparations for the Olympics were a memorable part of the trip. The atmosphere of those events created a whole different dimension to his experience abroad.

When asked about additional highlights from his time abroad, Shaw talked about his love of Parisian food, the parks, and the easy navigability of the city. He would often grab a delicious pastry and explore a new park, meeting people and stumbling on hidden treasures such as the Coulée Verte René-Dumont (René Dumont Greenway) and Deux Fois Plus de Piment (Twice the Spice), where one Irish couple even paid for his dinner after they shared a meal and discussed history.

“It’s hard to be a globally-minded scholar while living comfortably isolated in the American bubble,” said Shaw. “My time in Paris gave me perspective on other ways systems can be built and, by extension, what the lack of those systems means for the US. For example, the metro, tram, and bus systems inside the city and the high-speed rail systems outside of it make it very easy to get around without a car, but we don’t really have that choice here in the States.”

While still exploring topics for his Global Scholars research project, Shaw feels more comfortable reading texts in their native French and being able to ask more thoughtful questions with a greater understanding of French culture. He believes that his experiences in France will help him as he continues his way through academia with the eventual goal of becoming a professor of American studies and/or history. 

“Jack Shaw distinguished himself as a leader in the Global Scholars seminar, demonstrating exceptional compassion and emphasizing the critical humanist elements of conflict and crisis management. His insightful contributions and empathetic approach have significantly enriched the seminar experience for all participants,” said Brittnee Carter, associate professor of political science, who taught the 2024 Global Scholars seminar course, "Peace, War and Security".

In addition to Global Scholars, Shaw works as a writing consultant and development group facilitator at the KU Writing Center, is an opinion writer for the University Daily Kansan, and serves as a leader of the university chapter of theSunrise Movement, a climate justice-focused youth political group

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