Index
Scholarships
The Carnegie Scholarship
The Carnegie Scholarship was established in 1903 by Andrew Carnegie in honor his friendship with Elihu Root, Class of 1864
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was a longtime friend of Elihu Root, Class of 1864, as well as a very successful businessman and philanthropist. His connection to Hamilton College was spurred by his friendship with Root, and the two maintained a connection to the college throughout their lives.
Elihu Root (1845-1937) was born in the center of campus in the building that today houses the President’s Office, and went on to graduate at the top of his class in 1864. After Hamilton, Root had a successful career as a lawyer in New York, and eventually was appointed to President William McKinley’s Cabinet as Secretary of War. Even without military experience, Root was appointed to the position for his adroit grasp of legal principle. Theodore Roosevelt kept Root in his position as Secretary of War following McKinley’s death, and then named Root as Secretary of State in 1905. In this position, Root dedicated himself to establishing international law as the first recourse when international tensions arose, a philosophy that earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 1913.
October 2018
Please note: The named scholarships profiled on these pages are awarded as part of the College’s need-based financial aid packages. These funds help ensure the Hamilton Promise of keeping education affordable through meeting a student’s full demonstrated financial need.
Materials published here were diligently researched and written by students who strived for historical accuracy.
