Four Social Science students among eight MSU nominees for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship
October 16, 2023
College of Social Science economics student Maren Nicolaysen, anthropology student Caroline Downes, and psychology students Brennan Haugen and Dorothy Zhao are among six undergraduate students and two alumni from Michigan State University to be nominated for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.
The scholarship supports students attending the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The results of this competition will be determined in the coming months.
MSU’s nominees for the Rhodes Scholarship are:
- Zahra Ahmad, a 2022 graduate and Honors College alumni majoring in Comparative Cultures and Politics in James Madison College (Troy High School in Troy, Michigan).
- Caroline Downes, an Honors College senior majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Lyman Briggs College; and Anthropology in the College of Social Science (Berkley High School in Berkley, Michigan).
- Ashley Harlock, an Honors College senior majoring in Neuroscience, and Human Biology in Lyman Briggs College (Churchill High School in Livonia, Michigan).
- Brennan Haugen, an Honors College senior majoring in Human Biology in the College of Natural Science; and Psychology in the College of Social Science (Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center, and Lakeview High School in Battle Creek, Michigan).
- Maren Nicolaysen, an Honors College senior majoring in international relations in James Madison College; and Economics in the College of Social Science (Kelly Walsh High School in Casper, Wyoming).
- Isaac Smith, an Honors College senior majoring in Physics, and Advanced Mathematics in the College of Natural Science (West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield, Michigan).
- Dorothy Zhao, an Honors College senior majoring in Neuroscience, and Human Biology in the College of Natural Science; and Psychology in the College of Social Science (Okemos High School in Okemos, Michigan).
Gianna Méndez Germán is a nominee for the Global Rhodes Scholarship. She is a 2023 graduate majoring in Environmental Studies and Sustainability in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Instituto de Desarrollo Integral Leonardo Da Vinci in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic).
The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest and perhaps most prestigious international scholarship program, enabling outstanding young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford. The U.S. Rhodes Scholarship awards 32 scholarships, and the Global Rhodes Scholarship awards two scholarships. MSU has produced 20 Rhodes Scholars.
The Distinguished Student Awards Office (formerly National/International Fellowships and Scholarships Office), administered by the Honors College, helps undergraduate and graduate students pursue major national and international opportunities by providing information and direct support throughout the competitive application processes.
The original version of this story was published on the Distingiushed Student Awards Office site here.