It's been 16 years since a University of Houston student has earned the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. Today, UH psychology major Mielad Ziaee added this exclusive — and often elusive — honor to his growing list of academic achievements. He is only the third UH student to earn a Marshall Scholarship.
This year alone, Ziaee has earned two other notable awards for his scholarly pursuits: the Harry S. Truman Scholarship and the Phi Beta Kappa Key into Public Service. With the Marshall Scholarship, he now has the opportunity to take his talents abroad and represent UH.
"I am so incredibly proud of Milead," said UH President Khator. "He has relentlessly pursued academic excellence, and, most impressively, he'll learn from the world's top institutions to make a positive change in underserved communities. This achievement reflects not just his academic brilliance but also his deep commitment to serving those who need it most."
The Marshall Scholarship is one of the world's most prestigious academic honors and provides U.S. students with opportunities to study at noted institutions of higher learning across Britain. Named for former U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall, the academic award is presented to just a handful of recipients (out of approximately 1,000 applicants nationwide).
"I am immensely grateful for the investment given to me by the British Government," he said. "As a Marshall Scholar, I am proud to represent my communities as an Iranian American, Muslim, Texan, and UH Cougar."
As a Marshall Scholar, Ziaee will attend the University of Edinburgh, where he will pursue a Master of Public Health. Following his time in Edinburgh, he will study health and international development at the London School of Economics.
Ziaee's research at UH has focused his research efforts on food insecurity issues within UH's neighboring Third Ward. He also has engaged in research initiatives at Harvard Medical School through the Harvard/MIT Equitable Access to Research Training program. As a CDC John R. Lewis Scholar, he also engaged in scholarly activities at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Additionally, Ziaee was previously named an Albert Schweitzer Fellow.
In applying for the Marshall Scholarship and other awards, Ziaee received support from faculty mentors and UH's Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards (OURMA).
"OURMA was an invaluable resource for me while preparing for this award and others I've received," he said. "I would like to thank the office's executive director Ben Rayder and director Rikki Bettinger for always pushing me forward."
He also credits the support of his family members for helping him achieve his goals. A first-generation student and son of Iranian immigrants, Ziaee grew up in the Clear Lake area of Houston.
Former Marshall recipients are a who's who of thought leaders, scientists, influencers, law makers, authors and academics. They include author Thomas Friedman, journalist Sewell Chan, psychologist and author Angela Duckworth and astronaut Anne Charlotte McClain.
Institutions attended by Marshall Scholars include the following: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, University College London, University of Edinburgh, King's College London and Imperial College London, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
"I look forward to spending this time immersing myself in the cultures of Britain and the United Kingdom," he said. "I am particularly excited to leverage the extensive community that comes with the Marshall Scholarship—which includes Nobel Prize winners and Supreme Court Justices — to create the change I hope to see."
