Four Receive Fulbright Awards

Class of ’23 graduates James Blan, Ace Cole, and Isabela Tablan have been selected to receive Fulbright U.S. Student Awards for the 2023-2024 academic year. Beginning in the fall, they will serve as English teaching assistants in their assigned countries—Blan in Palestinian Territories (West Bank), Cole in Argentina, and Tablan in Thailand. Tim Turcotte ’23 is the recipient of a Fulbright Austria U.S. Teaching Assistantship, which provides an opportunity to experience a new culture and to gain first-hand classroom experience while teaching English to secondary school students in Austria.

Benjamin Oelkers ’23 Named a Thomas J. Watson Fellow

Benjamin Oelkers, a biochemistry and molecular biology major, is among a select group of graduating college seniors nationwide to receive the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which provides a $40,000 grant for one year of independent study and travel outside the United States. The program is designed to produce a year of personal insight, innovation, and leadership. Oelkers’ project is titled “Desertion of Pediatric Cancer Care,” with proposed destinations of South Africa, India, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines. He seeks to immerse himself in healthcare systems and community organizations to understand why a pediatric cancer patient would choose to stop lifesaving treatment.

Oelkers, who is from Metairie, LA, was a St. Jude Summer Plus Fellow in 2021 and 2022, working with the St. Jude Children’s Hospital anesthesiology department to identify risk factors for airway devices in pediatric cancer patients.

“During my time at the hospital, I understood the global nature of medicine and realized that there are other ways of treating patients,” says Oelkers. “Medicine is more than just learning medical terminology, and it is crucial to understand the different barriers that patients face globally, including limited access to care, nutrition, race, or religious beliefs. I hope to understand how a patient’s community can influence a patient’s experience during treatment.”

Two Selected as 2023 Goldwater Scholars

Junior Abigail Hultquist and sophomore Ryan McCrory are among the 413 students from across the United States who have been selected as Goldwater Scholars in the 2023 competition.

Established by Congress in 1986 to honor Barry M. Goldwater, a ve-term U.S. senator, the Goldwater Foundation provides scholarships to support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming the nation’s next generation of natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering research leaders. Students cannot apply for the scholarship, but rather must be nominated by their institutions. Since 1997, Rhodes has had 21 Goldwater Scholars, including Hultquist and McCrory.

Fikemi Aiyepeku ’23 Heads to Top Management Consulting Firm

By Hannah-Elsie Meit ’25

Business and French double major Fikemi Aiyepeku ’23 is the rst Rhodes student to secure placement at one of the big three management consulting rms— Bain & Company, McKinsey & Company, and Boston Consulting Group—which mostly recruit from graduate programs and a narrow set of top 10 universities.

e Lagos, Nigeria, native credits her liberal arts education, faculty mentors, and peer support as the driving factors behind her placement as an associate consultant at Bain. “Having this kind of education really helped me think creatively within a business context and to balance multiple complexities in case studies.”

When Aiyepeku began her college search, she hoped to nd a personalized experience in which she would be equally challenged and supported. She found that dynamic at Rhodes, saying, “I’ve been pushed to focus on my weaknesses until they become strengths, and I’ve found a loving community here to support my progress—from students to professors.”

Having come to Rhodes with experience in competitive leadership roles from attending the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aiyepeku found Rhodes’ collaborative approach to education refreshing.

“I love that I feel like I don’t have to immediately know everything,” she says. “I can trust my peers and professors for guidance when I need it.” national student also gave her a unique outlook on academics, as she was able to apply her classroom experiences to a global context. this spring was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious collegiate honor society. support Aiyepeku to tackle ambitious pur- at support and trust allowed Aiyepeku to tackle ambitious pursuits during her time at Rhodes. In spring 2022, she completed a fully immersive semester abroad in Lille, France, which, while challenging, she considers one of the most rewarding experiences.

“I learned to nd the joy of life outside of my comfort zone.”

Another major contributor to Aiyepeku’s successful college experience was the community she fostered with other international students. “ e international community at Rhodes is where I found my closest friends to date,” she says. “I feel so appreciated, special, and encouraged by our friendships.” Being an inter-

Additionally, as the Rhodes Student Associate for International Students Services, she has helped other community members navigate their experience at Rhodes. She is also the president of the African Student Association, a Rhodes Global student coordinator for the French honors society Pi Delta Phi, and

As Bain only extends o ers to one percent of all applicants, Aiyepeku considers her professors’ support in navigating the recruitment process itself invaluable to her success. is achievement is noteworthy not just for Aiyepeku, but for Rhodes. Her placement leaves a legacy of excellence and opens doors for future Rhodes