OU Wins Davis Cup for Enrollment of UWC International Freshmen

NORMAN, OKLA. – For the seventh time in the last eight years, the University of Oklahoma has again been awarded the Davis Cup in recognition of its record-setting enrollment of Davis United World College international freshmen, with an all-time high of 76 Davis UWC Scholars in the OU Class of 2024.

OU also boasts the largest total enrollment of Davis United World College Scholars in the United States, with 265 UWC Scholars representing 97 countries. More than 90 American higher education institutions participate in the global initiative, including Yale, Harvard and Princeton, and OU remains the only public university in the nation to ever receive the honor.

“We are humbled and honored to once again receive the Davis Cup,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “The University of Oklahoma strives to be a place of belonging where bright minds come together in the pursuit of collaboration, innovation and enlightenment. Our international students, including our 265 Davis United World College Scholars, provide unique and indispensable contributions that enrich our campuses and the broader community.”

The Davis UWC Scholars Program is the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship program. Before being chosen to attend a Davis UWC Scholars Program partner college or university in the United States, students are selected by special, independent committees from around the globe to attend their multinational United World College. There, they finish their last two years of secondary education, participating in the rigorous International Baccalaureate curriculum employed with all-English instruction.

“We have learned how significant to our program’s core purposes is a partner school hosting a large cohort of our scholars,” said Phil Geier, co-founder and executive director of the Davis United World College Scholars Program. “The University of Oklahoma is without peer in demonstrating this value-added for everyone in and around its educational community. We are grateful to OU for its role in shaping tomorrow’s global citizens.”

The first United World College was established in 1962 with the vision of building cross-cultural understanding. Today, there are 17 United World Colleges on five continents, educating students from 180 countries. No more than 25% of the students at each school can be from the country where the school is located.

At OU, Davis UWC Scholars have earned a reputation of not only being outstanding students but as exceptional members of the university community. Since 2008, when OU enrolled its first UWC scholars, these students have achieved recognition as members of the President’s Leadership Class, President’s Community Scholars and as Outstanding Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. They have served in a variety of leadership roles, including as team leaders in the Ronnie K. Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth, executive officers in the International Advisory Committee and as resident advisers.

“We greatly admire the University of Oklahoma for its deep and longstanding commitment to our program and its scholars,” said Shelby Davis, co-founder of the Davis United World College Scholars Program. “Congratulations to OU on again winning the Davis Cup.”