The University of Alabama
05/12/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/12/2026 13:10
UA Alumni Named Knight-Hennessy Scholars
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Two University of Alabama alumni are part of the ninth cohort of Knight-Hennessy Scholars and will continue their postgraduate education at Stanford University through the fully-endowed, multidisciplinary leadership development program.
Nick Hayes, of Collierville, Tennessee, and John Richardson, of Birmingham, were selected for the prestigious program designed to strengthen participants' expertise through Stanford's graduate programs. Scholars also participate in the King Global Leadership Program, which includes workshops, lectures, projects and experiences that strengthen transformational leadership capabilities.
Hayes and Richardson are among 87 scholars from 31 countries who will pursue degrees in 45 graduate degree programs across all seven of Stanford's graduate schools. UA is among only three public universities to have more than one scholar selected.
Hayes is pursuing a doctoral degree in computational and mathematical engineering at the Stanford School of Engineering. He attended the University of Oxford, where he earned dual master's degrees in mathematics and linguistics. He previously earned dual bachelor's degrees in applied mathematics and foreign languages and literature (German) from UA, graduating summa cum laude, as a Randall Research Scholar in the Honors College.
Hayes aims to push the frontier of mathematical modeling and machine learning for social good, with particular interests in climate and artificial intelligence safety. He has published first-authored research in both mathematics and linguistics, with experience at 10a Labs, MITRE, the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and the U.S. Department of State. He is a Rhodes Scholar, Hollings Scholar and Boren Scholar.
Richardson is pursuing a juris doctor at Stanford Law School. He earned a master's degree in public policy from the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government as an Eisenhower Global Scholar and graduated summa cum laude from UA with a bachelor's degree in history and political science as a member of the Honors College's Dr. Robert E. Witt Fellows Program.
Richardson plans to practice law in a way that strengthens communities and advances principled leadership, with interests in constitutional and administrative law, complex litigation and civics. He is currently a visiting fellow at the Alabama Policy Institute and previously coached the Holt High School soccer team in Tuscaloosa, served in student government at UA and worked as a wrangler in the mountains of Colorado.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars develop deep domain expertise in their Stanford graduate program and enhance their expertise through exposure to a wide range of disciplines and cultures within the Knight-Hennessy Scholars community. Through the King Global Leadership Program, scholars collaborate and prepare to address important challenges and opportunities facing the world, such as climate change, healthcare, government and policy, and education.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars was founded in 2016 by Phil Knight, Stanford MBA '62, philanthropist, American businessman and co-founder of Nike Inc., and John Hennessy, who served as Stanford's 10th president from 2000 to 2016. Knight and Hennessy recognized an opportunity for greater leadership across a variety of sectors in society and created a graduate-level scholarship to address this systemic issue.
The UA Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships assists students in the pursuit of national and international awards. Students interested in applying for awards that require an institutional endorsement can learn more on the External Scholarships and Fellowships website.
Photos provided by Knight-Hennessy Scholars/Carolyn Fong Photography.
The University of Alabama, part of The University of Alabama System, is the state's flagship university. UA shapes a better world through its teaching, research and service. With a global reputation for excellence, UA provides a forward-thinking environment and over 200 degree programs on a beautiful, student-centered campus. A leader in cutting-edge research, UA advances discovery, creative inquiry and knowledge through more than 30 research centers. As the state's largest higher education institution, UA drives economic growth in Alabama and beyond.
Contact
Bryant Welbourne, [email protected]
The University of Alabama published this content on May 12, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 12, 2026 at 19:10 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]