Originally hailing from Paraguay, Merardo Pezoa '29 enjoyed singing in the choir as a United World Colleges high school upperclassman in Wales, United Kingdom. Now, enrolled at the University of St. Thomas as a film studies major, Pezoa sings in the St. Thomas choir.
"Choir has been part of my entire life, and having the opportunity to share my talent as an international student makes my college experience tremendously valuable," said Pezoa, who also participates in film club and competes as a member of the St. Thomas Men's Rugby Club. "To me, it is very important to share my perspective... it makes me feel I belong to this university."
Pezoa is one of 62 international students at St. Thomas who is a Davis United World Colleges scholar. He is also one of the reasons St. Thomas received the inaugural Momentum Award from Davis UWC, a privately funded international scholarship program that is committed to building cross-cultural understanding. The program is geared toward high-potential students from varied, often underrepresented backgrounds to enhance international, cultural and socioeconomic diversity on campuses worldwide.
St. Thomas increased its enrollment of Davis UWC Scholars from two in 2024-25 to 62 in 2025-26, 58 of whom are in the first-year cohort.
"That dramatic year-over-year rise earned St. Thomas the Davis UWC Scholars Program's first Momentum Award, given annually to the partner institution reporting the largest increase in first-year Davis UWC Scholars enrollment," according to the announcement from Davis UWC. That's quite a feat given there are 100-plus colleges and universities that partner with Davis UWC worldwide.
"To receive the Momentum Award is just an amazing experience," said Lori Friedman, the senior international officer and executive director of global learning and strategy at St. Thomas. "To see these amazing students come here and the leadership opportunities that they have already taken advantage of, bringing their whole selves and perspectives here, is just amazing to see."
The mission of Davis UWC aligns with St. Thomas as a Catholic University that believes strongly in building a culture of encounter and a more vibrant and inclusive university community.
"We were founded by an immigrant as a college for immigrants and that is part of our DNA," said St. Thomas President Rob Vischer. "We are made stronger when we welcome people from all over the world."
International enrollment overall is on the rise at St. Thomas. In fact, 120 international undergraduate students joined St. Thomas this academic year – 50% of them are Davis UWC scholars, bridging the total number of international students to 546.
Davis United World Colleges scholars are students who first attended one of the 18 United World Colleges schools as high school upperclassman. Upon graduation, those students with outstanding academic abilities and a commitment to cross-cultural communication and leadership have an opportunity to join a partner college or university of Davis UWC. Altogether, international students at St. Thomas represent 104 countries, a 20% increase from last year.
Since the day international student Martin Agany '29 held a South Sudan flag in one hand and a Kenya flag in the other while walking through the Arches on campus, he felt a special connection between his home and St. Thomas.
The university gave him an opportunity to represent both of his home countries during a solo march to celebrate the start of his first semester at St. Thomas this past fall. It was a special arrangement by the Office of International Students and Scholars after Agany missed the all-campus March Through Arches for first-year students because he arrived to the United States later than others.
"Having such a personal welcome was deeply meaningful," said Agany, who is studying computer science. "It made me feel seen, valued and truly part of the St. Thomas community from day one."
Agany sees St. Thomas as the institution that will catapult him on his mission to address issues in his homeland.
"I want to build technology that improves access to education and economic opportunity in under-resourced communities," he said. "I'm especially interested in creating digital platforms and data systems that increase transparency, expand learning access and support entrepreneurship."
(Gino Terrell / University of St. Thomas)
Whereas Sofia Compagnoni '29, who was born in Italy to Italian parents, has traveled all over the world, including stints in Manchester, England, and Thailand, where she enrolled in the United World Colleges high school program.
Despite her broad global experience, she said about St. Thomas: "I felt that this was a place where I could grow intellectually, personally and ethically."
She told President Vischer at the ceremony she felt at home at St. Thomas.
To her and all the scholars, he said: "You have brought so much to our community this year. I hear it in all corners of the campus of how much you bring to the classroom and to the student clubs, and to the events and the programs."
Friedman, who visited several of the Davis UWC high schools to meet with students, said "We're just thrilled to have these scholars at St. Thomas and to see them enrich the lives of others at St. Thomas as well."
