PENSACOLA, Fla. – University of West Florida softball student-athlete Sara Spears has been accepted for admission into the 2018 Engalitcheff Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems (ICPES) in Washington, D.C. for the summer semester.
 
"It's still surreal that I get to be part of this incredible program," Spears said. "It's the best opportunity I could possibly imagine for myself at this point in my academic journey and I can't wait to see what is in store for me this summer. I'm sure it will be the experience of a lifetime!"
 
Spears will spend the summer attending classes at George Mason University on a full scholarship, attending keynote and guest speaker events, and interning in a government office in Washington. She will spend eight weeks in the nation's capital with students from around the globe, gaining an insider's view of Washington.
 
Spears also applied for and earned a full scholarship in the Leadership Scholars Program, which will cover her enrollment in two classes in ICPES. Spears is one of just 25 students from around the country to earn the scholarship.
 
The Leadership Scholars Program is supported by the Fund for American Studies, which seeks to develop future leaders within the fields of public policy, international affairs, business, journalism and the nonprofit sector. 
 
Spears is also a two-time member of the Gulf South Conference Spring Academic Honor Roll.