Judith Zang
Director of National Scholarships
“Home is what you take with you, not what you leave behind.” — N.K. Jemisin, The Fifth Season
Judith Zang, director of national scholarships, coaches Coastal Carolina University students and alumni in their pursuits of nationally competitive awards. These awards provide support for research, language and cultural immersion, internships, leadership development, undergraduate and graduate studies, and more, in the United States and abroad.
Before joining CCU’s HTC Honors College in October 2021, Judith served as an executive assistant at the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Prior to this, she was the director of national scholarships at the University of Pittsburgh for 10 years, and the fellowships advisor at Carnegie Mellon University for six years. Her advisees won over 55 different scholarships, including the Boren, Gates Cambridge, Goldwater, Rhodes, Rotary, Truman, Udall; the Fulbright U.S. Student Grant; and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
Judith enjoys working in the competitive scholarships arena for many reasons. Preparing students for these competitions requires teamwork; collaborating with the staff, faculty, alumni, and community leaders who support the students in their endeavors is tremendously rewarding. Students who go through the application process, whether they ultimately win the award or not, gain valuable skills and tools that benefit them throughout their academic and professional journeys. Although each award program offers a unique experience for the recipient, they share a mission of cultivating leaders and experts who can address our most pressing global problems.
Finally, Judith loves interacting with students, learning their stories, and helping them tell their stories.
In her free time, Judith enjoys reading, writing poetry, watching films, playing tennis, and hiking and camping.