Marshalling Her Resources

Laura Gardner has big plans for the future. She wants to pursue a Ph.D. in Victorian literature and one day become an English professor. She also wants to learn about the book publishing trade. The Jones College senior will soon take major steps toward achieving those goals: One of 40 students chosen nationally to receive a Marshall Scholarship, she will spend the next two years studying in Britain.

Nothing could be more ideal for Gardner, who majored in English and French. In her first year, she will work toward a master’s degree in London studies from Birkbeck College at the University of London, examining the formation of London from architectural, historical, and social perspectives. In her second year, she will study for a master’s in English with a concentration in literary biography at King’s College London at the University of London.

“One of the best parts about the Marshall is that I can spend two years living in British culture and exploring more of the country,” she says. “I’m thrilled to have won this award. I had a fabulous time studying abroad last year and know that the next two years will be even more exciting.”

Gardner currently is the student director of the Rice Women’s Resource Center, which coordinates educational and social activities and programs to increase awareness of issues facing women. She also is part of the Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program and is working on a project on fallen women in Victorian culture. Robert Patten, the Lynette S. Autrey Professor in Humanities and Gardner’s senior project adviser, says she stood out as a sophomore in his survey of British literature course with her instinct for the appropriate feature of a text to focus on.

“She’s disciplined, thorough, insightful, and self-directed,” he says. “She is both creative and very careful in her research, here and in England. She radiates life and energy and joy and good humor. Clearly that combination of scholarly excellence and personal magnetism worked on the Marshall selectors.”

“I do wish to become an English professor someday,” Gardner says, “but I’m also interested in learning more about the publishing industry.” During the summer after graduation, she will be working for publishing company W.W. Norton and Co. Then it’s off to Britain. “I liked the British academic system and loved the city. This way I can find out more about a great city while living in its stimulating atmosphere.”

The two-year Marshall Scholarships were founded by an act of Parliament in 1953 to commemorate the humane ideals of the European Recovery Program, also known as the Marshall Plan. American students are chosen to receive the scholarships by eight regional committees. The program allows students to gain an understanding and appreciation of British values and the British way of life.

—Ellen Chang