PHILADELPHIA - Stephen Danley a University of Pennsylvania graduate from Germantown, Md., has won the prestigious Marshall Scholarship.

Danley, who earned a degree in philosophy, politics and economics from the College of the School of Arts and Sciences in 2007, plans to pursue an M. Phil. in comparative social policy at Oxford University in England.

At Penn, Danley was a member of the Excellano Project spoken word team, a varsity basketball tri-captain and active in Newman Center activities.

He is currently one of 15 Philly Fellows. The post-graduate fellowships sponsored by Penn's Fox Leadership Program connect local top graduates with challenging positions in non-profit agencies to serve the community.

"Steve is an outstanding scholar, an eloquent and exemplary student leader and an absolutely wonderful person who is enormously deserving of this prestigious award," Penn President Amy Gutmann said. "As a Philly Fellow, he has already made important contributions as an alum, and this accolade continues to make Penn proud."

"Stephen is a true Renaissance man," Penn Provost Ronald J. Daniels said. "He is a basketball star, a team leader, a poet, a New York Times blogger and a passionate student of social policy. We are extremely proud that he will represent Penn abroad as a Marshall Scholar."

Danley is the eighth Marshall Scholar from Penn and the University's sixth in the last seven years. Marshall Scholarships provide opportunities for young Americans of outstanding ability to study at educational institutions in the United Kingdom.