Bill Clinton was one. So were George Stephanopoulos, ex-senator and NY Knicks hoop star Bill Bradley and musician/actor Kris Kristofferson.
There’s little doubt that people who are named Rhodes Scholars often go on to do big things in the world. The scholarship, which was created in 1902 by a British philanthropist named Cecil Rhodes, is given to about 80 students each year who are not just smart, but also have integrity, unselfishness, the potential for leadership and “physical vigor.”
32 Americans are among the 2010 crop of Rhodes Scholars just annnounced by the Rhodes Trust (more U.S. women than men were selected for the third time since 1976). All will be heading to Oxford University in England to study for varying periods of time and at varied degree levels. The scholarship provides about $50,000 per year to the student in total benefits during their study at Oxford, covering not just tuition but also travel expenses and some vacation expenses. You might call it the world’s highest end completion degree, since almost all recipients have already done considerable study outside of Oxford.
Two recipients came from South Dakota, the first time that state has been represented, while Ursinus College and UCall of Irvine both had students selected for the first time. International students were chosen from Bermuda, Canada, Zambia, Zimbabwe and just about every other country on planet earth. See the Rhodes Trust press release on this year’s winners here