Six Black students chosen as 2022 Rhodes Scholars

On Saturday, November 20, 2021, the American Rhodes Scholar Class of 2022 was announced. Of the 32 outstanding students chosen six of them are Black. They will commence their studies at Oxford in October 2022.

Congratualtions to all of those chosen and especially to those Black students listed below.

Sydni A. Scott

Sydni A. Scott, Unionville, is a senior at Columbia University majoring in Political Science. She has done significant work on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues, including developing training for dozens of universities participating in The Women’s Network. Sydni also founded The Amendment Project, an organization mobilizing high school students around the issue of reparations, and worked to help secure passage of a local reparations resolution in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was a Division I track and field athlete at Columbia, competing in the long jump and triple jump. While at Oxford, she plans to pursue an MPhil in Politics (Comparative Government).

Tawreak J. Gamble-Eddington

Tawreak J. Gamble-Eddington, Springfield, Massachusetts, graduated in 2021 from Union College with honors in both History and Political Science. He is currently completing an MPhil in Race, Ethnicity, Conflict at Trinity College Dublin, where he is a Mitchell Scholar. Ty was a campus leader at Union College, serving as President of both the Black Student Union and Union Pride and helping found a My Brother’s Keeper program. He was also named to the steering committee for the Presidential Initiative on Race, Power, and Privilege and awarded the university’s top prizes for service to the college, contributions to campus diversity, and accomplishments in political science. At Oxford, he proposes to complete the MPhil in Politics (Comparative Government).

Samantha C.W. O’Sullivan

Samantha C.W. O’Sullivan, Washington, DC, is a senior at Harvard College, where she majors in Physics and African-American Studies. Sam founded and led a student organization that promotes activism related to the legacy of slavery and has published articles on dress codes and bias against Black girls. She has done advanced research in plasma physics at Princeton and nanoscale systems at Harvard and the University of Maryland, and astrophysics at the Carnegie Institute of Astrophysics. She is fascinated by how different languages, including the language of the African diaspora, Gullah, provide insights into different perceptions of the physical universe. Sam will do the MSt in Philosophy of Physics and the MSc in Applied Linguistics at Oxford.

Elvin N. Irihamye

Elvin N. Irihamye, Sammamish, Washington, is a senior at Indiana University majoring in Neuroscience and where he is a Herman B. Wells Scholar. In Bloomington, he co-founded and is president of a charitable corporation using industry and academic partnerships to strengthen the pipeline of Black, Latinx and Native American talent into the workforce. He is also active in a start-up to assist nursing home residents during the pandemic. Elvin has been a student advisor to the Indiana University president and also to the Vice Provost for undergraduate education. He is a co-author of three scientific publications in peer-reviewed publications, including Nature and Cells relating to cancer chemotherapy treatments. Elvin plans to do the MSc in Translational Health Science and the MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation at Oxford.

MacKenzie E. Isaac

MacKenzie E. Isaac, Indianapolis, received a BA in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame in 2020 and is currently completing a master’s degree in Health Education at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Kenzie has served in leadership roles both on campus and in her community, including as the University of Notre Dame’s Student Body Director of Diversity and Inclusion. Following graduation from Notre Dame, Kenzie worked for a year as an AmeriCorps Public Ally in her hometown of Indianapolis, focusing on public health issues such as pedestrian safety and chronic disease prevention. She currently works for Health by Design, an Indianapolis-based non-profit organization, overseeing the organization and implementation of park remodeling projects in two historically African-American neighborhoods. At Oxford, she will pursue a DPhil in Population Health.

Klarke J. Stricklen

Klarke J. Stricklen, Chattanooga, is a senior at the University of the South, where she majors in American Studies and African American Studies. Klarke’s undergraduate honors thesis concentrates on Black reparations by arguing for the moral responsibility of higher educational institutions with ties to the slave trade and slavery. She is also a research assistant for The Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, and Reconciliation. Klarke also serves as president of the local NAACP chapter in Sewanee. Previously, she interned in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Klarke is a Truman Scholar. At Oxford, she will pursue an MSc in Economic and Social History.

Ole Miss student Arielle Hudson named Rhodes Scholar

An Ole Miss senior is making history as the university’s first African-American female Rhodes Scholar.

Arielle Hudson is an education major at Ole Miss and in late November was chosen as one of 32 candidates from across the US to participate in the prestigious global program at the University of Oxford in the UK.

Hudson said she’s still stunned that she’s a Rhodes Scholar. Hudson becomes Ole Miss’ 27th Rhodes Scholar and the university’s first African-American woman to receive the honor.

“To be the first African-American woman, it shows how much progress is being made not only in Mississippi but also within our world,” she said.

Hudson is a second-generation Ole Miss student, studying secondary English Education. She’ll head to the University of Oxford for two years to earn dual master’s degrees and then return to Mississippi to teach for five years, as part of her undergraduate scholarship requirement.

Arielle Hudson graduates from Ole Miss in May, and she’ll head over to the UK to begin her studies in Oxford in fall 2020.

Wanjiku Gatheru Named University of Connecticut’s First Rhodes Scholar

Wanjiku (Wawa) Gatheru, a highly accomplished student leader whose academic achievements have garnered national recognition, has been selected as the University of Connecticut’s first Rhodes Scholar.

Gatheru ’20 (CAHNR), a senior majoring in environmental studies with minors in global studies and urban and community studies, is among 32 people nationwide elected to the American Rhodes Scholar Class of 2020 to continue postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford in England.

The highly prestigious program counts presidents, ambassadors, business leaders, and many other prominent Americans among its alumni, and is among the world’s most selective academic programs. It announced its 2020 class late Saturday, making special note of Gatheru’s achievement as UConn’s first Rhodes Scholar.

“As I reflect on my journey, it is extremely clear to me that my accomplishments – my story – is not my own,” she said Sunday. “I stand on the sturdy shoulders of the many people that have supported me along the way. My family, my mentors, and friends. The Rhodes application is particularly strenuous, with a total of eight letters of recommendation required. So I quite literally would have not been in this position if I didn’t have professors and mentors who believed in me. And I am so thankful for them.”

Gatheru’s academic and service endeavors had been widely recognized even before the Rhodes Scholar announcement. She was a 2019 Truman Scholar and a 2019 Udall Scholar, the first student in UConn’s history to win those illustrious honors in the same year. She has also received several other prominent plaudits during her time as a UConn student, including the McCullough Leadership award, the University’s highest student leadership award.

“Wawa is a rare talent who in her three years at UConn has built a legacy that will endure long after she has graduated,” President Thomas C. Katsouleas said. “She has demonstrated not only a superior intellect, but a depth of character and an unbridled energy that compel her to take action. In addition to being academically gifted, she has played a leading role on critical issues, including environmental sustainability, the inclusiveness of our environment, and food insecurity on our campuses and in our state.

“Please join me in congratulating Wawa and in wishing her all the best during her time studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar,” he said in an announcement about her honor to the UConn community. “We are incredibly happy for her and so proud that she is a Husky!”

On campus, Gatheru also served as vice president of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and as the student co-chair of the 2019 University-wide Metanoia, pursuing the theme of “Youth for Change.”

As co-founder of the UConn Access to Food Effort (UCAFE), she helped launch the first assessment of food insecurity on a public institution of higher education in the state. UCAFE’s research has since been cited by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and referenced in the creation of both state and federal legislation.

Gatheru is a 2018 UC Santa Cruz Doris Duke Conservation Scholar and a 2018 Newman Civic Fellow, and is motivated to connect grassroots movements to institutions of power. She was a lead organizer in Connecticut’s first Youth Climate Lobby Day, a United Nations Global Health Fellow, a delegate at the 2017 U.N. Climate Change Discussions, a founding member of the President’s Council on Race and Diversity at UConn, and played a critical role in the successful implementation of UConn’s environmental literacy general education requirement.

Read more about Wawa here: https://today.uconn.edu/2019/11/student-leader-wanjiku-wawa-gatheru-named-uconns-first-rhodes-scholar/

African American 2019 Rhodes Scholars

Elliot F. Gerson, American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, today announced the names of the 32 Americans chosen as Rhodes Scholars representing the United States. Congratulations to all 32 scholars and here are four African American students who were selected to attend University of Oxford.

Anea B. Moore, Philadelphia, is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania concentrating in law and minoring in Africana Studies. A Truman Scholar, Anea is committed to the needs of low-income families, reflected in a variety of important roles in Philadelphia public schools, for City Council members, and at her university. She is co-president of a non-profit that serves first-generation, low-income (FGLI) college students and co-chaired the largest FGLI student conference in the world. Her sociology research has focused on issues related to gentrification, race, class, and family engagement and well-being. At Oxford, Anea intends to do masters degrees in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and in Comparative International Education.

Lia Petrose, Laurel, Maryland, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2017 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Economics with a minor in Chemistry. A Truman Scholar, she has a vision of improving how data is used to facilitate health care delivery. Lia wrote three firstauthored papers in leading medical journals and is currently a research assistant for Dr. Heidi Williams at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As an undergraduate, she was elected to the executive board of the student government and served as the student member of the Board of Trustees Committee on Academic Affairs. She was born and raised until adolescence in Ethiopia. Lia will read for a B.A. in Computer Science and Philosophy at Oxford.

Leah Crowder, Tucson, graduated from the University of Arizona in 2018 with a B.A in Middle Eastern and North African Studies. Throughout her undergraduate career, she maintained a perfect GPA. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in the same program. Leah is researching how to end cyclical violence and move towards peace in areas divided by deep cultural and political differences. She has utilized big data to ascertain a causal relationship between militarized curfews and civilian casualties. Starting in her teenage years, she has worked on the ground in Turkey to advance a variety of peacekeeping efforts. Most recently, she interned at Art Anywhere Association, in Mardin, Turkey, to plan child protection activities in remote villages affected by regional violence. At Oxford, Leah will pursue a D.Phil. in International Relations.

Austin T. Hughes, San Antonio, Texas, is a senior at the University of Iowa triple majoring in English (Creative Writing), Theatre Arts, and Japanese Language and Literature. Austin was elected to Phi Beta Kappa as a junior. A Beinecke scholar, he has won numerous awards for his poetry and creative writing at both the university and national level. As Co-President of The English Society, Austin maintained a network of educators, writers, and authors to showcase student literature to campus and beyond. He is a cellist, a cross-country runner, and has written Twilight fanfiction. At Oxford, Austin will read for an M.Phil. in Japanese Studies.

A Record Year for African American Rhodes Scholars

(L to R) Cameron D. Clarke, Aryn A. Frazier, Christian E. Nattiel, Olivia A. Klevorn, Aaron C. Robertson, Ahmed M. Ahmed, and Cailyn L. Moore

The Rhodes Trust does not publicize the race or ethnicity of scholarship winners. But according to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education it appears that this year seven of the 32 Rhodes winners are African Americans. This is the most African American Rhodes Scholars in history.

Following are brief biographies of the African American winners.

Cameron D. Clarke is a senior at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He is the fourth Howard student to win a Rhodes Scholarship. Clarke is majoring in community health education and biology. He is the news editor of the student newspaper at Howard and serves as an intern for the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology at the U.S. House of Representatives. Clarke plans to study for a master’s degree in primary health care at Oxford.

Aryn A. Frazier is a senior at the University of Virginia, where she is double majoring in politics and African American and African studies. Frazier is president of the Black Student Alliance at the university. Frazier, a resident of Laurel, Maryland, plans to study for a master’s degree in comparative politics at Oxford.

Christian E. Nattiel from Madeira Beach, Florida, is a senior at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. At West Point, Nattiel is double-majoring in mathematical sciences and philosophy and is a member of the academy’s handball team. At Oxford, Nattiel will study for master’s degrees in comparative social policy and public policy.

Olivia A. Klevorn is a senior at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. A native of Chicago, Klevorn is majoring in anthropology. At Yale, Klevorn is the director of the Heritage Theatre Ensemble and president of a student-run poetry association. She will study for a Ph.D. in socio-legal studies at Oxford.

Aaron C. Robertson of Redford, Michigan, is a senior at Princeton University in New Jersey. He is majoring in Italian and focuses his research on Afro-Italian literature. At Princeton, he is the co-editor-in-chief of the Nassau Literary Review. Robertson plans to pursue a master’s degree in modern languages at Oxford.

Ahmed M. Ahmed is a biology major at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He is a resident of Rochester, Minnesota. His research is focused on the development of new synthetic strategies for producing polymers. He is the son of immigrants from Somalia. Ahmed will study for a master’s degree in organic and medical chemistry at Oxford.

Cailyn L. Moore is a member of the football team at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. A resident of Carson, California, Moore is majoring in economics at TCU. He was raised in poverty and was homeless. His father was convicted to a life sentence for murder. Moore is the founder of an organization of student athletes who encourage children from disadvantaged groups to attend college. He will study public policy as a Rhodes Scholar.

[SOURCE]

Meet Cameron Clarke: Howard University's Fourth Rhodes Scholar

Howard University President Frederick announces another Rhodes Scholar to add to its legacy of producing Rhodes Scholarship recipients.

Cameron Clarke has been selected as one of 32 students nationwide to receive the prestigious 2017 Rhodes Scholarship.  Clarke is a double biology and community health major from Jersey City, New Jersey, living in Richmond, Virginia.

When he first enrolled at Howard University in the fall of 2013, Clarke arrived on campus as a high achiever with 42 advanced placement credits.  Clarke’s mother played an instrumental role in encouraging him to attend the University.

“I was hesitant at first because I didn’t want to look like I was following my older brother to college, who is a 2016 graduate of Howard,” said Clarke.  “My mom was the one who persuaded me to even visit.  It wasn’t until I arrived on campus for the Weekend at Mecca that I realized how much black intelligence was on this campus.  Some of the smartest, most dynamic people I had ever met were here in the same place.”

It was that moment that reassured Clarke that he was at the right place to take advantage of the numerous scholastic and research opportunities the University offered.

As a researcher at Howard University’s W. Montague Cobb Research Laboratory that maintains a national repository for African-American skeletal remains, Clarke has assisted in developing a database to combine information for the Cobb collection and the New York City African Burial Ground.

“Howard’s secret is that it has as many, if not more opportunities than a lot of Ivy League schools,” said Clarke.  “You have a lot of professors within your departments who will allow you to conduct independent research and gain publication experience as an undergraduate, which is amazing for both graduate school applications and your own intellectual development.”

With multiple research experiences already to his credit, Clarke has participated in faculty-led research at Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia through a Howard-National Science Foundation grant, in addition to studying at Columbia University’s School of Public Health.  This summer, Clarke conducted research at the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Cancer Research, as an Amgen Scholar.  Currently he works as an intern in the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, conducting science policy research for members and staff.

“This is definitely a great opportunity,” said Clarke.  “I’m ecstatic to receive this honor, and to have the chance to study primary health care and public health.”                                            

After graduating from Howard next summer, Clarke will undergo a two-year program at the University of Oxford in England.  Ultimately, Clarke plans on going to medical school, working in public health policy and doing clinical research.

“We are extremely proud of Mr. Clarke's accomplishment,” said President Frederick.  “Mr. Clarke's academic pursuits will lead to solutions in the broader society that are needed ever more so today. Cameron is the epitome of Howard University's gift of solutions to the world.”

The Rhodes Scholarship program is designed to provide special educational opportunities for future world leaders over a two-year period at Oxford University in England.  Only 32 scholars (two from each of the 16 U.S. districts) are selected annually, based on scholastic achievement, leadership ability, strength of character and physical vigor among other qualifications.  Once admitted to Oxford University, Rhodes Scholars have the opportunity to read for the Oxford B.A. in any of a number of subjects or may be admitted to read for a higher degree. In some cases, study is extended to a third year.

“We are excited to add Mr. Clarke to our Rhodes Scholarship-caliber of students. He will be our fourth Rhodes Scholar that now includes scholars such as Mark Alleyne (1986), Carla Peterman (1999), and Marianna Ofosu (2003),” said President Frederick.

Media contact:

Assistant Director, Media Relations

Anthony Owens

anthony.owens@howard.edu

(202) 870-9208

5 African Americans Named Rhodes Scholars

[SOURCE] Every year the Rhodes Trust awards exceptional postgraduate students with a scholarship to pursue studies in all fields at the prestigious University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The competition for the coveted honor is tough, but this year, five of the 32 scholarships awarded to Americans went to African-Americans.

The five talented students are:

Robert A. Fisher (pictured far left): A senior at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga majoring in political science, Fisher, who is also his school’s student body president, has managed to maintain a perfect academic record. He plans on pursuing a Master’s in comparative social policy.

Rachel Harmon (pictured second from left): The Champaign, Ill., resident attends Cornell University and is in her senior year. Majoring in industrial and labor relations, Harmon plans on getting her Master’s in social policy.

Ridwan Y. Hassen (pictured third from left): In his last year at Dartmouth College majoring in computer science with an emphasis on neuroscience, Hassen’s parents are Somalian and Ethiopian refugees. The young member of his school’s Endurance Racing Team plans on furthering his studies by obtaining a Master’s in public policy.

Tayo A. Sanders (pictured second from right): Sanders, who is a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire senior who is majoring in Materials Science, is no stranger to scholarships. He is the recipient of the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship and has already done research at the University of Strasbourg in France. Sanders wants to obtain a Ph.D. also on materials science at Oxford.

Sarah E. Yermina (pictured far right): As a Princeton University senior majoring in sociology, Yermina wants to enter the two-year Master’s program in politics at Oxford then pursue a J.D./Ph.D. to become a law professor.