OU wins ninth Davis Cup for high enrollment of United World College international freshmen

For the ninth time in 10 years, OU was awarded the Davis Cup in recognition of its enrollment of Davis United World College international freshmen, making it the only public university in the nation to receive the honor.

According to a university press release, the Davis UWC Scholars program is the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship program.

OU enrolled 79 Davis UWC Scholars in the freshmen class of 2026, which boosted the university’s total Davis UWC Scholars to 304 students representing 109 countries — the largest number of Davis UWC Scholars in the United States.

OU enrolled its first UWC Scholars in 2008, according to the release. The Davis UWC program was established with the vision of building cross-cultural understanding. Students are selected by independent committees around the world to attend the multinational United World College, where they finish their last two years of high school.

“Being an international student is by no means easy, and having that second family on campus has made it much easier for me,” Azra Fifić, a Davis UWC Scholar from Bosnia and Herzegovina and graduate assistant in the Department of Interior Design, wrote in the release. “Their encouragement has helped me grow and succeed in ways I couldn't imagine before arriving to OU. All of us are truly grateful to have such a special place and program on our campus.”

These students have received recognition as members of the President’s Leadership Class, President’s Community Scholars and as Outstanding Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. 

Additionally, these students have been part of a variety of leadership roles, according to the release, including Ronnie K. Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth team leaders, International Advisory Committee executive officers and as resident advisers.

Since 2008, OU has received more than $50 million from the Davis UWC Scholars Program in support of student scholarships.

Shelby Davis and Phil Geier, co-founders of the Davis UWC Scholars Program, wrote that OU’s commitment has been “exemplary” and have set the highest standard for their partnership with the program.

“We are incredibly proud of the Davis UWC Scholars Program’s longstanding success at OU,” OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. wrote in the release. “Davis Scholars are leaders and change-makers with the talent and motivation to make our world a better place. That’s precisely what they do during their time at OU by leaving a meaningful and lasting impact that benefits our entire university community.”