Passion for politics leads to scholarship

Scholarships can be life changing for those trying to take on the often-monumental task of paying for college. Some help pay for books, others can be large enough to pay for a semester or perhaps even a year of college.

Eugenia Agobe, of Wimberley, was recently awarded The Sumners Foundation scholarship for $30,000. That will pay for at least a few books.

Eugenia is a rising junior at Southwestern University double majoring in political science and history. She is one of 34 students nationally to receive a Sumners scholarship in 2021.

“The Sumners Scholarship is a very prestigious scholarship,” said Sumners Foundation Chairman Jerry Reis. “Sumners Scholars have made significant contributions to their communities, state and country. Following in the footsteps of Congressman Hatton W. Sumners, we are pleased to support students working to improve the political system, address issues through public policy, educate others about civic responsibility, and be active, productive members of society.”

The Foundation’s purpose is to encourage the study, teaching and research into the science and art of self-government to the end that the American people may understand the fundamental principles of democracy and be guided thereby in shaping governmental policies.

Eugenia is a woman that shows confidence in herself and her pursuit of a college degree. Growing up in Wimberley, she was homeschooled. Her father is an immigrant from Nigeria who emigrated when he was twenty. Her mother is from Missouri, where they met. They both worked in telecommunications and traveled with Eugenia.

“We did travel around a lot when I was a kid, which was a really nice opportunity,” Eugenia said. “We got to go to lots of different museums.”

Even though they traveled, Eugenia’s home was Wimberley. Her favorite memory was from when her family first moved to town.

“The first thing that we did was go straight to the library, because I love to read. And we have such a cute little library. I actually volunteered there all four years of high school. Now my little sister, she’s 14, has started volunteering there… Everyone there is so sweet and welcoming. I think it’s probably the loudest library.”

Education has always been a part of her upbringing, with both her parents degreed and her older sister in the process of obtaining a Ph.D. “I read a lot as a kid. There was never any section of the library that was off limits to me; we would always go to the library as a family. My parents would always get me books for my birthday, which has definitely helped me as a history major.”

She graduated high school receiving an Associates degree from Austin Community College, but she knew there was something more. She applied and was accepted at Southwestern in Georgetown. A Wimberley Lions Club scholarship helped her on her way as well as one from Pedernales Electric Cooperative. Southwestern pitched in financial aid with her parents covering the rest.

“Then one of my political science classmates was a Sumners scholar. She just graduated, and she talked to me about the process and why she thought I should apply.”

It didn’t hurt that she had the resume to back it up.

As a full-time student double majoring in political science and history with a minor in Spanish, she was selected as a Hatton W. Sumners Scholar for academic performance and community engagement.

At Southwestern pursuing her Political Science and History degrees, she worked in the offices of Admissions and Diversity Education and wrote for the newspaper. She is a Campus Vote Project Democracy Fellow and worked closely with political science faculty and the Office of Community-Engaged Learning on campus. She helps elementary bi-lingual children and helped start a non-partisan website for campus voters. She even came up with something new.

“We’re going to train professors who choose to volunteer as a deputy registrar in Williamson County. They’ll be certified to actually help students register to vote. So whether they want to do that in class or in office hours, (students) can fill out that form there and then they can give it to the professor.”

Doing good things does not go unnoticed. The Sumners Foundation did notice.

With two years left in college, the future is still wide open for Eugenia. Maybe one day you’ll stop by the Wimberley Village Library and read about her.

For more information on Southwestern University, see their website at southwestern.edu. For more about the Sumners Foundation see SumnersFoundation.org.

“The first thing that we did was go straight to the library, because I love to read. And we have such a cute little library. I actually volunteered there all four years of high school... I think it’s probably the loudest library.”

Eugenia Agobe,

Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship Recipient