Marion Royston's journey to becoming one of 12 students in the nation to win a Mitchell Scholarship is the kind of story that gives truth to the quote, "You can do anything you put your mind to."
Royston, senior in history, is a recipient of a Mitchell Scholar Award and will study leadership for sustain- able and rural development at The Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland starting this September.
The scholarship was awarded based on leadership, scholarship and commitment to a career in community and public service.
"When I was applying, I applied for the Marshall (another scholarship) at the same time," Royston said. "And I was like 'I don't know the Mitchell people only take 12 people. What's the probability that I'm even in the running for this?'"
Dr. Paul Harris, associate director for national prestigious scholarships and professor in the honors college, has helped Royston throughout her college career and said he has always known she was special.\0x2028Harris met Royston three years ago, when she was a resident assistant in Aubie Hall, where he is a faculty-in-residence.
"After getting to know Marion I realized she had all the ingredients to be a national prestigious scholarship winner," Harris said. "I just encouraged her to continue to make good grades, pursue her undergraduate research and get involved with service and that's exactly what she did."
Royston, who has a minor in community and civic engagement, has taken advantage of every opportunity that has been put in front of her during her four years at Auburn.
Royston attended a PACERS journalism workshop, which solidified her decision to attend Auburn, took a trip to Appalachia, where she learned about poverty within the region and how people are working to combat it and worked with Living Democracy, a year-long program within the College of Liberal Arts.
Through the Living Democracy program, Royston participated in a 10-week summer experience in Hobson City, the first all-black municipality in Alabama.
She transcribed oral histories in Macon County in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Lee versus Macon case, which led to the desegregation of schools in Alabama.
Royston was able to speak with Anthony Lee, the lead plaintiff, and Fred Grey, the lead civil rights attorney for the case.
"It was super cool, and I got to marry my two loves of history and community involvement," Royston said.
Royston, who is from the rural community of Roanoke is hoping to use these experiences and the experience she gains from her year in Ire- land to help rural communities develop.
Royston said that she uses what her own community did to make her successful to compare to other communities and see what changes can be made to create community growth.
"It's an economic issue, but it's also about investing in people," Royston said. "Revitalizing those areas, because they are in the middle of a crisis people are leaving, plants are shutting down - so we're kind of building them back up."
Many people who know Royston personally and professionally have no doubts about her abilities and the impact she is going to make.
Morgan Dunn, sophomore in biomedical sciences, has been working with Royston for the past year as resident assistant in Sasnett Hall.
"She's such a joy and she's so awesome, but she's also extremely intelligent and she's got this easiness about her than just draws people in," Dunn said.
Harris, who has been Royston's mentor for the past two and half years, is happy he was able to help Royston throughout this journey and is excited to see how she will be able to use this opportunity.
"It's giving her an opportunity that very few students will ever have, "Harris said. "You can imagine what that's going to do for her, for her perspective and how much she's going to learn.
"She's going to be a great ambassador, not only for the U.S., but for Auburn."
Royston is excited to begin her adventure in Ireland in September, but is still surprised and awed by all the things she has been able to achieve up to this point.
"I didn't come to Auburn planning any of this - I didn't think it was possible," Roystonsaid. "This Auburn experience for me has been this really big journey of self-discovery, so I'm really, really happy with where I am right now and I owe it all to seizing opportunities that were put in front of me."
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