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The selection process, involving 840 applicants from 70 countries, culminated in in-person interviews, marking a return to traditional selection methods after the disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic
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Mrinalini S Wadhwa, Suhaas Bhat, Nayantara K Arora, and Aishani Aatresh emerged triumphant and are set to commence their graduate studies in October 2024
In a remarkable achievement, four exceptional Indian American students have clinched the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship for the Class of 2024 at the esteemed University of Oxford. The selection process, involving 840 applicants from 70 countries, culminated in in-person interviews, marking a return to traditional selection methods after the disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic. Mrinalini S Wadhwa, Suhaas Bhat, Nayantara K Arora, and Aishani Aatresh emerged triumphant and are set to commence their graduate studies in October 2024, as reported by indicanews.com.
Hailing from New York City, Mrinalini S Wadhwa, a senior at Columbia University majoring in History and Mathematics, has been recognized for her outstanding contributions. She co-founded a program that offers a three-year English curriculum to underprivileged students in New Delhi. At Oxford, Wadhwa will delve into Modern European History through her pursuit of an M Phil.
Suhaas Bhat, a senior at Harvard University from Wisconsin, stands out for his dedication to Social Studies and Physics. A co-founder of a psychotherapy organization at Harvard, Bhat will embark on a multidisciplinary journey at Oxford, pursuing an MSc in Mathematical Modeling and Scientific Computing, alongside an MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine.
Nayantara K Arora, based in Portland and a senior at the University of Oregon’s Clark Honors College, has excelled in Neuroscience with minors in Global Health and Chemistry. Arora’s research spans global health biomarkers in Tunisia and the vasculature’s connection to Alzheimer’s disease. As an intern with the State Department, she produces a podcast highlighting immigrant youth stories. Arora’s academic pursuits at Oxford will include an MSc in Modeling for Global Health and an MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine.
- The Rhodes Scholarship, a fully funded, full-time graduate fellowship established by the University of Oxford in 1903, enables scholars to pursue most full-time postgraduate courses offered by the university
- The scholarship’s total value averages around $75,000 per year, reaching up to $250,000 for scholars who remain at the university for four years in specific departments
Aishani Aatresh, a senior at Harvard College from California, brings her expertise in complex biosocial systems to the Rhodes Scholar cohort. Aatresh’s contributions during the global pandemic include collaboration with the New York City health and hospital system emergency response, coupled with in-depth studies on the dynamics of Covid-19 with the global Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. At Oxford, she aims to complete an MPhil degree in Nature, Society, and Environmental Governance.
The significance of this achievement is underscored by Ramona L Doyle, American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, who commended the scholars not only for their accomplishments but also for their values-based leadership and selfless ambitions to make a positive impact on their communities and the world.
Forbes reports that this year’s cohort of 32 scholars is dominated by Harvard University, contributing nine graduates to the esteemed list. With these recent selections, the total number of Americans awarded Rhodes Scholarships reaches 3,642, representing 327 colleges and universities.
The Rhodes Scholarship, a fully funded, full-time graduate fellowship established by the University of Oxford in 1903, enables scholars to pursue most full-time postgraduate courses offered by the university. The scholarship’s total value averages around $75,000 per year, reaching up to $250,000 for scholars who remain at the university for four years in specific departments.
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