Samara Langley, a Colegio del Sol (Asunción, Paraguay) graduate, is the winner of the 2026 Lenora N. McGregor Endowed Scholarship at Wichita State University.

The McGregor Scholarship awards up to $26,000 over four years to an incoming freshman student who has demonstrated academic excellence, has an academic vision for the future and who expresses an interest in advancing knowledge through individual learning. The McGregor Scholar agrees to maintain active membership in WSU’s Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.

Samara has one younger brother, Ian, and is the daughter of Bettina Idoyaga and Matthew Langley (deceased). Ten years ago, Samara moved from Wichita to Asunción with her mom and brother. Samara sees the return to Wichita as a transformative experience.

“I expect to be challenged not just academically, but personally — by new ways of thinking, diverse perspectives and experiences that push me out of my comfort zone,” said Samara.

While attending Colegio del Sol, Samara founded a school newspaper, created her school’s volleyball team and tutored English. She also enjoys volunteering, attending complex problem-solving workshops and recently completed a six-week cadet training experience with the Paraguayan Air Force. As an Honors student, Samara feels that she can continue to combine academic and experiential learning.

“The Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College feels like a place where my curiosity can meet discipline, where my ideas can find direction, and where I can continue becoming the kind of person who doesn’t just dream of change, but helps create it,” she said.

Samara plans to study psychology and take part in undergraduate research while attending Wichita State. 

“I’m excited to strengthen my research and analytical skills so I can explore questions that truly matter,” said Samara. 

Last summer, Samara published her first book and hopes to combine psychology with writing and storytelling in her future career. When she graduates, Samara said she hopes to leave Wichita State with a broader understanding of the world and the tools to approach problems creatively and thoughtfully.  

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 25,000 students between its main campus and the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech), including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student-centered and innovation-driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry- and defense-funded engineering R&D and No. 9 overall for engineering R&D.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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