Barrington Native Among 2024 Rhodes Scholars Heading to University of Oxford
Meet the Scholars
Barrington native Om Gandhi, a University of Pennsylvania student, was left stunned when he heard the news that he was selected to be a Rhodes Scholar. He will be joined by two University of Chicago students, Francesco Rahe and Anqi Qu, among this year’s 32 Rhodes Scholars.
Rhodes Scholarship Program
Established in 1902, Oxford University’s 122-year-old scholarship program for American students covers tuition, fees, and other expenses along with a stipend of more than $24,000 a year, or about $75,000 in total, and can be extended for a four-year stay at the school. Nearly 3,000 students from 243 U.S. schools applied for the scholarship, and 238 finalists were selected before the final 32 were chosen.
Student Profiles
Om Gandhi
Gandhi, 20, is a co-director of Locust Bioventures, president of the Wharton Undergraduate Healthcare Club, vice president of the Penn Undergraduate Biotech Society, and editor-in-chief of the Penn Healthcare Review. He is also on the national leadership team for nonprofit Parkinson Pals and volunteers with local clinics to provide healthcare services to uninsured patients with chronic diseases.
Gandhi is pursuing a master’s degree in bioengineering and majoring in neuroscience with a public health concentration. His research focuses on aggressive cancerous tumors that are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. He has co-authored more than 10 peer-reviewed manuscripts and presented at several national conferences.
Francesco Rahe
Rahe, a fourth-year University of Chicago student, is a religious studies major and started the school’s first inter-faith discourse group. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in Classical Indian Religion and eventually become a literary translator to help create more dialogue between belief groups.
Rahe is also writing his 13th novel and is proficient in Sanskrit, Persian, German, biblical Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic. "When we’re only reading literature from our own language and the perspective of our own belief system, this leaves us vulnerable to misinformation about other groups," Rahe said. "I want to fight back against those kinds of divisions by increasing the number of accessible translations of religious texts, so that everyone can have access to the vast and beautiful corpus of literary works situated within religious traditions."
Anqi Qu
Qu, also a fourth-year University of Chicago student, plans to pursue a graduate degree in economics at Oxford next fall while studying methods of applying AI to economic research and policy. She currently studies economics with a specialization in data science and statistics.
Qu writes, "We are at a pivotal point in history where AI can democratize knowledge and spur unprecedented progress, but it can also drive inequality and entrench disadvantages. As we work on this frontier, it’s essential to consider critically the social structures we are establishing for future generations. I see the development of equitable AI as one of humanity’s most pressing challenges, and I’m committed to ensuring that the outcome is a more just society."
Conclusion
The Rhodes Scholarship is more than just an achievement to pad their resumes – it’s a validation of their dreams, recognition of their support systems, and encouragement to keep making strides in their fields. For Gandhi, Rahe, and Qu, it’s a reminder to keep doing the good work and do it at a more profound scale.
FAQs
Q: Who is Cecil Rhodes?
A: Cecil Rhodes was a British colonialist and entrepreneur who established the Rhodes Scholarship in 1902 through his will.
Q: What is the Rhodes Scholarship?
A: The Rhodes Scholarship is a full scholarship to study at the University of Oxford for a four-year period, covering tuition, fees, and other expenses along with a stipend of more than $24,000 a year.
Q: How many students from the University of Chicago have been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship?
A: Forty-five students from the University of Chicago have been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship, including Rahe and Qu.
Q: Who are some notable Rhodes Scholars?
A: Previous Rhodes Scholars include former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, and singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson.
