In September 2004, I made an initial visit to Istanbul with the objective of evaluating Turkey as a third country for the Foundation. With the help of Tony Huffman and Mehves Pisak, meetings were arranged.  In October of that year, the Foundation Board voted unanimously to authorize scholarships in Turkey.

Istanbul is a fascinating city. It blends Middle Eastern and European cultures in an appealing way.  Ellen and I view Turkey as a very important country for a number of reasons, including the fact that it is a successful, secular democracy with a high percentage of Muslim citizens.

At the same time, they face a number of serious problems.  Poverty and institutional instability need to be solved.  We hope that the Gallagher scholars will help find such solutions during the coming decades.

The initial interviews took place in August 2005. That first year seven scholars were selected. In each of the the past two years five additional scholars have been selected at Bogazici University. Today there are thirteen Turkish scholars and three graduates.

Boshporus University