Inspiring Leaders
Knight-Hennessy Scholars cultivates and supports a multidisciplinary and multicultural community of graduate students from across Stanford University, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare graduates to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders who address complex challenges facing the world.
Stanford University
All scholars are Stanford University graduate students, who join Knight-Hennessy Scholars in addition to enrolling in a graduate degree program at any of Stanford's seven schools.


Leadership Development
Scholars participate in up to three years of programming that complements their graduate studies and prepares them to take on leadership roles in academia, industry, government, nonprofits, and the community at large.
Knight-Hennessy Community
A new cohort of scholars joins each year, adding to a diverse community of scholars from across disciplines, nationalities, perspectives, and backgrounds. Scholars learn together, collaborate on impactful projects, and develop lifelong friendships.


Knight-Hennessy Funding
Scholars receive a fellowship for up to three years of tuition, depending upon their degree length. In addition, scholars receive a stipend for living and academic expenses, and a travel stipend for one annual trip to and from Stanford.

What characterizes a Knight-Hennessy scholar?

Independence of Thought
Knight-Hennessy scholars are visionary thinkers who are curious, open-minded, analytical, eager for cross-cultural perspective, and genuinely excited to boldly and creatively address our world’s important challenges
Purposeful Leadership
Knight-Hennessy scholars are courageous leaders who are ethical, decisive, resilient, driven to achieve meaningful results, and motivated to inspire others to effect positive change at scale.


Civic Mindset
Knight-Hennessy scholars are collaborative community members who are humble, empathetic, trustworthy, oriented to act in service of others, and deeply passionate about contributing to the greater good.
