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Official Website
(Text copied from the Rhodes Scholarship website)
The Rhodes Scholarships, the oldest international educational fellowships, were
initiated after the death of Cecil Rhodes in 1902, and bring outstanding students from
many countries around the world to the University of Oxford. The first American Scholars
entered Oxford in 1904.
American Rhodes Scholars are selected through a decentralized process by which
regional selection committees choose 32 Scholars each year representing the fifty states.
Through 2006, applicants from more than 300 American colleges and universities had
been selected as Rhodes Scholars. In most years, even after a century of competition, a
Rhodes Scholar is selected from an institution which has not formerly supplied a successful
applicant.
Extraordinary intellectual distinction is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for
election to a Rhodes Scholarship. Selection committees are charged to seek excellence in
qualities of mind and in qualities of person which, in combination, offer the promise of
effective service to the world in the decades ahead. The Rhodes Scholarships, in short, are
investments in individuals rather than in project proposals. Accordingly, applications are
sought from talented students without restriction as to their field of academic specialization
or career plans although the proposed course of study must be available at Oxford, and the
applicant’s undergraduate program must provide a sufficient basis for study in the proposed
field. Through the years, Rhodes Scholars have pursued studies in all of the varied fields
available at the University of Oxford.
Election to the Scholarship is normally for two years but the Scholarship may be held
for one year only, depending upon the degree program pursued by the Scholar. The Trustees
impose no requirement that a Scholar should study in Oxford for more than one year. A
Scholarship may be renewed, at the complete discretion of the Trustees, for a third and final
year for those who were initially admitted to Oxford to pursue a doctoral degree. Rhodes
Scholars may not apply for an MBA, and may not do the Master in Financial Economics
(MFE) in their first year.
All educational costs, such as matriculation, tuition, laboratory and certain other fees,
are paid on the Scholar’s behalf by the Rhodes Trustees. Each Scholar receives in addition
a maintenance allowance adequate to meet necessary expenses for term-time and vacations.
The Rhodes Trustees cover the necessary costs of travel to and from Oxford.
Mr. Rhodes’ Will contains four criteria by which prospective Rhodes Scholars are to be selected:
- literary and scholastic attainments;
- energy to use one’s talents to the full, as exemplified by fondness for and success in sports;
- truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship;
- moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one’s fellow beings.
Underlying these standards is the aim that Scholars be physically, intellectually,
morally capable of leadership, that is, persons who, in Mr. Rhodes’ phrase, will “esteem
performance of public duties as [their] highest aim.” From this statement one may infer
he expected his Scholars to play an influential part in the betterment of society, wherever
their careers might lead them.
Much of the distinctiveness of the Rhodes Scholarships stems from this comprehensive
set of criteria. Intellectual excellence is obviously required, but not in isolation
other qualities. Mr. Rhodes sought Scholars who were more than “mere bookworms;”
wanted their intellectual talents to be combined with concern for others. Thus the Selection
Committees assign the highest importance to this blend of character with intellect.
(End of excerpted text. Much more information is available on the Rhodes Scholarship website, and should be carefully and thoroughly reviewed by potential candidates)
Please direct all questions about Grinnell's nomination process to Doug Cutchins, director of social commitment, x4940. The following materials must be submitted to the Office of Social Commitment, 1127 Park St., by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 10, 2007. Please print only on one side of the paper.
- A completed "Rhodes Scholarship 2007 Application Blank" (page A-5 of the Rhodes Scholarship application, which can be downloaded at the Rhodes Scholarship website).
- A personal statement, adhering to these guidelines from the Rhodes Trust: "A signed short personal statement describing the applicant’s academic and other interests. This statement should describe the specific area of proposed study and the applicant’s reasons for wishing to study at Oxford, and it must conclude with the following signed statement: 'I certify that this essay is my own work.' This personal essay must not exceed 1,000 words in length (approximately four double-spaced pages) and should be written in as simple and direct a manner as possible. It should be set in a typeface no smaller than 10 points. Selection Committees will place special emphasis on this personal essay, and it will be forwarded to Oxford colleges to which Rhodes Scholars-elect apply for admission."
- "A succinct pertinent list of principal activities and honors in college (including prizes, scholarships, offices held; athletic record; extracurricular interests and substantial activities) with dates. This must not exceed two pages in length, and should be set in a typeface no smaller than 10 points."
- An unofficial copy of your Grinnell College transcript, which may be obtained from the Registrar's Office. Please do not print off a grade report from PioneerWeb and hand this in instead of a transcript.
- A signed copy of the Grinnell College Academic Honesty and Conduct Offense information waiver.
- An Institutional Endorsement form (page A-3 of the Rhodes Scholarship application). Applicants must complete and sign the shaded area on this form.
Multi-page documents should be individually stapled, then paper-clipped together with the other application elements to form one complete packet. Do not staple all of the documents together.
In addition, you must also:
- Arrange to have three letters of recommendation submitted by the September 10 deadline. These should be submitted directly to the Office of Social Commitment. Please note that you do not need to have the full 5-8 letters of recommendation required for the national selection process submitted for the on-campus process; only three letters are required at this time. However, applicants must indicate on their application blank who else would write letters of recommendation if they are nominated. Please give letter-writers a signed copy of page A-4 of the Rhodes Schoalrship application ("Request for Letter of Appraisal"), but clarify for them that they do not need to submit the form and ten copies of the letter for the on-campus deadline; one will suffice.
Please note that the on-campus nomination process does not require a photograph of the applicant, as required by the national election process.
Kendra (Young) Harris '02
David White '90
Susan Duffey Campbell '78
Thomas W. Merril '71
Grant E. Crandell '69
Duane Krohnke '61
John R. Price '60
George A. Drake '56
Neil L. Crone '25
Maxwell H. Herriot '19
James H. St. John '14
Paul G. Williams '13
William A. Ziegler '10
Joseph G. Walleser '03
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