The Mississippi State University (MSU) Presidential Scholars Program began in 2006 with the merger of the Schillig Leadership Scholarship, endowed by the Schillig Foundation in 1987, and The Presidential Endowed Scholarship, established in 2001. It now encompasses 18 endowed scholarships worth approximately $50,000 and represents MSU’s most outstanding students. The program allows students to consider how they might prepare and provide public service leadership in their careers. To provide students with these options, the Stennis Center for Public Service helps to connect Presidential Scholars with public service leaders in American cities, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Little Rock, Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, and New York City.