Rhodes Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarships were created by Englishman Cecil John Rhodes. They have been awarded to applicants annually since 1902 by the Oxford-based Rhodes Trust, on the basis of academic qualities as well as those of character. They provide the successful candidate with two years of study at the University of Oxford in England, possibly extended for a third year.

Notable Rhodes Scholarship recipients

Before 1920

• John J. Tigert (Tennessee & Pembroke 1904), U.S. Commissioner of Education, 1921-1928
• Alain L. Locke (Pennsylvania & Hertford 1907), philosopher and Harlem Renaissance patron
• Earnest A. Hooten (Wisconsin 1907), American physical anthropologist
• Albrecht Graf von Bernstorff (Germany & Trinity 1909), German diplomat, executed for conspiracy against Hitler, 1945
• J. H. Hofmeyr (South African College School & Balliol 1910), South African liberal politician
• Ralph V. L. Hartley (Utah & St John's 1910), telephone oscillator inventor
• Edwin P. Hubble (Illinois & Queen's 1910), American astronomer
• Elmer Davis (Indiana 1910), American newsman, Director of the U.S. Office of War Information during World War II
• John Crowe Ransom (Tennessee & Christ Church 1910), poet
• P. Brand Blanshard (Michigan & Merton 1913), philosopher
• Charles R. Clason (Maine & Christ Church 1914), U.S. Congressman (Massachusetts), 1937-1949
• Norman W. Manley MM QC (Jamaica & Jesus 1914), Chief Minister of Jamaica, 1955-1959, Premier of Jamaica, 1959-1962
• Wilder G. Penfield CC (New Jersey & Merton 1914), Canadian neurosurgeon
• John Monk Saunders (Washington & Magdalen 1918), screenwriter of Wings and The Dawn Patrol
• Roland Michener PC CC (Alberta & Hertford 1919), Governor General of Canada, 1967-1974
• Arthur Stanley Roe (Brisbane), First Rhode Scholar of Australia

1920s

• John Marshall Harlan II (New Jersey & Balliol 1920), Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, 1955-1971
• Lord (Howard) Florey of Adelaide and Marston (Adelaide & Magdalen 1921), Australian pharmacologist, Nobel Prize in Medicine, 1945 (for penicillin)
• Sir Keith Hancock (Australia & Magdalen 1921), Australian historian
• William E. Stevenson (1922), American Olympic gold medalist in 1924, President of Oberlin College (1946-1961), U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines (1961-1965)
• Sir John C. Eccles (Victoria & Magdalen 1925), Australian scientist, Nobel Prize in Medicine, 1963
• J. William Fulbright (Arkansas & Pembroke 1925), U.S. Senator for Arkansas (1945-1974), originator of the Fulbright Fellowship program
• Robert J. van de Graaff (Alabama & Queen's 1925), inventor of the eponymous Van de Graaff generator
• Robert Penn Warren (Kentucky & New College 1928), American poet and critic
• Cleanth Brooks (Louisiana & Exeter 1929), American literary critic
• George F. G. Stanley CC (Alberta & Keble 1929), Canadian historian, designer of Canadian flag, Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick

1930s

• Charles Herbert Little (Brasenose 1930), Director of Canadian Naval Intelligence during World War II
• E. F. Schumacher (Germany & New College 1930), German social theorist
• Carl B. Albert (Oklahoma & St Peter's 1931), Speaker of U.S. House of Representatives (1971-1977), U.S. Congressman (Oklahoma), 1947-1977
• Dean Rusk (North Carolina & St John's 1931), U.S. Secretary of State, 1961-1969
• Adam von Trott zu Solz (Germany & Balliol 1931), German diplomat and anti-Nazi patriot, executed in 1944
• Ivan A. Getting (Massachusetts & Merton 1933), American weapons scientist and co-inventor of GPS technology
• Daniel J. Boorstin (Oklahoma & Balliol 1934), U.S. Librarian of Congress, 1975-1987
• Max Gluckman (Transvaal & Exeter 1934), South African-British-Israeli social anthropologist
• Sir John M. Templeton (Connecticut & Balliol 1934), businessman and founder of Templeton College, Oxford
• George C. McGhee (Oklahoma & Queen's 1934), U.S. Ambassador to Turkey (1952-1953) and to Germany (1963-1968)
• W. R. Jackett (Saskatchewan & Queen's 1934), Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada
• Sir Arnold C. Smith (Ontario & Christ Church 1935), first Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
• Walter H. Stockmayer (Jesus 1935), American polymer chemist
• Dan Davin (New Zealand & Balliol 1936), New Zealand novelist and head of Oxford University Press
• Philip M. Kaiser (Wisconsin & Balliol 1936), U.S. Ambassador to Mauritania (1961-1964), Hungary (1977-1980), and Austria (1980-1981), U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for International Affairs (1949-1953), Special Assistant to Governor Averell Harriman (1955-1959)
• Gordon A. Craig (New Jersey & Balliol 1936), American historian and OSS veteran
• Howard K. Smith (Louisiana & Merton 1937), broadcast journalist
• Courtney Craig Smith (Iowa & Merton 1938), educationalist, President of Swarthmore College
• Byron R. White (Colorado & Hertford 1938), football player, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, 1962-1993
• Dominic Mintoff (Malta & Hertford 1939), Prime Minister of Malta, 1955-1957 & 1971-1984

1940s

• Sir Zelman Cowen KBE PC AC (Victoria & New College 1941), Australian jurist and academic, Governor General of Australia
• Alastair Gillespie OC (McGill, 1947), Canadian cabinet minister
• Paul J. Bohannan (Arizona & Queen's 1947), American social anthropologist
• Nicholas de B. Katzenbach (New Jersey & Balliol 1947), U.S. Attorney General, 1965-1966, U.S. Under-Secretary of State, 1966-1969
• Bernard W. Rogers (Kansas & University 1947), American general, Supreme Allied Commander, NATO
• Stansfield Turner (Illinois & Exeter 1947), American admiral, Director of Central Intelligence, 1977-1981
• James M. Hester (California & Pembroke 1947), First Rector of the United Nations University, President of New York University
• Eric Prabhakar (India & Christ Church 1948), Indian Olympic athlete
• Guy M. Davenport (North Carolina & Merton 1948), American writer and man of letters
• R. W. Burchfield (New Zealand & Magdalen 1949), New Zealand lexicographer, editor of the Oxford English Dictionary
• John N. Turner PC CC QC (British Columbia & Magdalen 1949), Canadian liberal leader and Prime Minister of Canada, 1984

1950s

• James H. Billington (New Jersey & Balliol 1950), U.S. Librarian of Congress, 1987-
• John Brademas (Indiana & Brasenose 1950), American politician, President of New York Universiy, 1981-1992, U.S. Congressman (Indiana), 1959-1981
• Tanjore R. Anantharaman (India & Trinity 1951), Indian metallurgist
• Richard N. Gardner (New York & Balliol 1951), U.S. Ambassador to Italy (1977-1981) and to Spain (1993-1997)
• Stuart Hall (Jamaica & Merton 1951), British cultural theorist
• Thomas A. Bartlett (Oregon & University 1951), President of the American University in Cairo, 1963-1969, Interim President of AUC, 2002-2003; Chancellor of the University of Alabama System, 1981-1989; Chancellor of the State University of New York, 1994-1996
• John R. Searle (Wisconsin & Christ Church 1952), American philosopher
• James A. Gobbo CVO AC QC (Victoria & Magdalen 1952), Australian Supreme Court Judge and Governor of Victoria
• Elliott H. Levitas (Georgia & University 1952), U.S. Congressman (Georgia), 1975-1985
• Guido Calabresi (Connecticut & Magdalen 1953), American legal academic, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, Professor and Dean at Yale Law School
• Ronald M. Dworkin (Rhode Island & Magdalen 1953), American legal philosopher
• Edward de Bono (Malta & Christ Church 1953), British writer
• Julian Ogilvie Thompson (Diocesan College & Worcester 1953), businessman
• Robert J. L. Hawke (Western Australia & University 1953), Prime Minister of Australia, 1983-1991
• Laurie Ackermann (Cape Province & Worcester 1954), Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa
• Lord (Leonard) Hoffman (South African College School & Queen's 1954), UK Lord Justice of Appeal
• Norman F. Cantor (Manitoba & Oriel 1954), Canadian historian of the Middle Ages
• Richard G. Lugar (Indiana & Pembroke 1954), U.S. Senator for Indiana, 1977-
• Paul S. Sarbanes (Maryland & Balliol 1954), U.S. Senator for Maryland, 1977-2007
• Robert O. Paxton (Virginia & Merton 1954), American historian of France
• Ranjit Roy Chaudhury (India & Magdalen 1955), medical scientist
• Reynolds Price (North Carolina & Merton 1955), American poet and novelist
• Lord (Johan) Steyn (Cape Province & University 1955), UK Lord Justice of Appeal
• Virendra Dayal (India & University 1956), Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
• Neil L. Rudenstine (Connecticut & New College 1956), American educator, President of Harvard University, 1991-2001
• Arthur Kroeger CC (Alberta & Pembroke 1956), Canadian civil servant and diplomat, Chancellor of Carleton University, 1993-2002
• Ranjit Bhatia (India & Jesus 1957), Indian Olympic athlete
• Robert I. Rotberg (New Jersey & University 1957), American political scientist
• Kristoffer Kristofferson (California & Merton 1958), American actor and musician
• Joseph S. Nye, Jr. (New Jersey & Exeter 1958), American political scientist, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council (1993-1994), Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (1994-1995), Dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
• Jonathan Kozol (Massachusetts & Magdalen 1958), American writer and social activist
• Manmohan Malhoutra (India & Balliol 1958), Assistant Secretary-General of the Commonwealth

1960s

• Richard F. Celeste (Ohio & Exeter 1960), American politician, Governor of Ohio (1983-1991), Director of the U.S. Peace Corps, U.S. Ambassador to India, President of Colorado College
• Girish Karnad (India & Lincoln 1960), Indian Kannada-language playwright and film actor
• Lester C. Thurow (Montana & Balliol 1960), American economist and author, professor of economics at MIT
• David H. Souter (New Hampshire & Magdalen 1961), Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, 1990-
• David B. Frohnmayer (Oregon & Wadham 1962), President of the University of Oregon, 1994-; Attorney General of Oregon, 1980-1991
• Rex D. Adams (West Virginia & Merton 1962), Chairman of the Board of PBS, Dean of the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University
• Walter B. Slocombe (Michigan & Balliol 1963), U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, 1994-2001, Senior Advisor for National Defense for the CPA, Baghdad, 2003
• David L. Boren (Oklahoma & Balliol 1963), American politician, Governor of Oklahoma, 1975-1979); U.S. Senator for Oklahoma, 1979-1994; President of the University of Oklahoma
• Bryan Gould (New Zealand & Balliol 1963), British politician, Labour MP for Dagenham
• R. James Woolsey (Oklahoma & St John's 1963), Director of Central Intelligence, 1993-1995
• Montek Ahluwalia (India & Magdalen 1964), Indian economist, first independent evaluator of the IMF
• Wasim Sajjad (Pakistan & Wadham 1964), Pakistani politician and lawyer, Interim President of Pakistan, Chairman of the Senate
• J. Gustave Speth (South Carolina & Balliol 1964), Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, 1993-1999, Dean of School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University
• Larry Pressler (South Dakota & St Edmund Hall 1964), American politician, U.S. Senator for South Dakota, 1979-1997
• William W. Bradley (Missouri & Worcester 1965), American politician, NBA basketball star, U.S. Senator for New Jersey, 1979-1997, and Democratic presidential candidate, 2000
• Aftab Seth (India & Christ Church 1965), Indian Ambassador to Japan
• Daryl Williams AM QC (1965), Australian politician, Liberal Member of the House of Representatives, 1993-2004, Attorney-General of Australia 1996-2003
• Wesley K. Clark (Arkansas & Magdalen 1966), American military officer and politician, Supreme Allied Commander, NATO, 1997-2000; Democratic presidential candidate, 2004
• Terrence F. Malick (Oklahoma & Magdalen 1966), American film director of The Thin Red Line (1998), Days of Heaven (1978), and Badlands (1973).
• Michael Spence (Ontario & Magdalen 1966), Canadian economist, Nobel Prize in Economics for 2001
• David E. Kendall (Indiana & Worcester 1966), American lawyer, President Clinton's personal lawyer
• Deepak Nayyar (India & Balliol 1967), Vice Chancellor of Delhi University
• Thomas H. Allen (Maine & Wadham 1967), American politician, U.S. Congressman (Maine), 1997-
• David C. Hardesty, Jr. (West Virginia & Queen's 1967), President of West Virginia University
• Stephen A. Oxman (New Jersey & New College 1967), U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs, 1993-1994
• William J. Clinton (Arkansas & University 1968), American politician, 42nd President of the United States, 1993-2001, Governor of Arkansas, 1979-1981 & 1983-1993
• Robert B. Reich (New Hampshire & University 1968), American commentator and author, U.S. Secretary of Labor, 1993-1997
• Robert D. McCallum, Jr. (Tennessee & Christ Church 1968), American lawyer, U.S. Associate Attorney General, 2003-
• Boisfeuillet Jones, Jr. (Georgia & Exeter 1968), Publisher and CEO of The Washington Post
• Strobe Talbott (Ohio & Magdalen 1968), American diplomat and journalist, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State (1994-2001), President of the Brookings Institution
• William A. Fletcher (Washington & Merton 1968), Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
• Rex Murphy (Newfoundland & St Edmund Hall 1968), Canadian commentator
• Danny Williams PC QC (Newfoundland), lawyer and businessman, Canadian politician, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Ira Magaziner (Rhode Island & Balliol 1969), White House Senior Aide, 1993-1999, originator of ICANN
• Christopher R. Laidlaw (New Zealand & Merton 1969), New Zealand All Black, diplomat, MP, talk radio host, author, Human Rights Commissioner and Race Relations Conciliator
• Robert K. Rae PC OC QC (Ontario & Balliol 1969), Canadian politician, Premier of Ontario

1970s

• Geoffrey Robertson QC (Sydney, 1970), barrister and international human rights activist
• Richard H. Trainor (Rhode Island & Merton 1970), Principal of Kings College London
• Franklin D. Raines (Washington & Magdalen 1971), Chairman and CEO of Fannie Mae, 1999-2004; Director of the Office of Management and Budget, 1996-1998
• Kurt L. Schmoke (Maryland & Balliol 1971), Mayor of Baltimore, 1987-1999; Dean of Howard University School of Law
• James R. Atlas (Illinois & New College 1971), American writer (The New Yorker)
• James Fallows (California & Queen's 1970), American writer (The Atlantic Monthly)
• Geoffrey I. Gallop (Western Australia 1972), Premier of Western Australia, 2001-
• Michael E. Kinsley (Michigan & Magdalen 1972), American journalist (Los Angeles Times), founder of Slate magazine, editor of The New Republic
• Thomas F. Birmingham (Massachusetts & Exeter 1972), President of the Massachusetts Senate, Candidate for Democratic nomintion for Governor of Massachusetts, 2002
• Kim C. Beazley (1973), Australian politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Leader of the Opposition
• Richard N. Haass (Florida & Wadham & St Antony's 1973), President of the Council on Foreign Relations, Director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, 2001-2003
• E. J. Dionne (Massachusetts & Balliol 1973), American journalist and Washington Post columnist
• Paul Blustein (Wisconsin & Merton 1973), American author and journalist (The Washington Post)
• Sir Rod Eddington (Western Australia & Lincoln 1974), Former CEO of British Airways
• C. Thomas McMillan (Maryland & University 1974), NBA basketball player, U.S. Congressman (Maryland), 1987-1993
• Walter Isaacson (Louisiana & Pembroke 1974), author, President of the Aspen Institute, Managing Editor of Time magazine (1995-2001), Chairman and CEO of CNN
• Elliot F. Gerson (Connecticut & Magdalen 1974), American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, Vice President of the Aspen Institute, Deputy Attorney General of Connecticut
• Edwin Cameron (South Africa-at-Large & Keble 1975), Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, ANC lawyer and AIDS activist
• Larry J. Sabato (Virginia & Queen's 1975), American political scientist
• Russell D. Feingold (Wisconsin & Magdalen 1975), U.S. Senator for Wisconsin, 1993-
• Michael Sandel (Massachusetts & Balliol 1975), American political philosopher and professor at Harvard University
• Melvin J. Reynolds (Illinois & Lincoln 1975), U.S. Congressman (Illinois), 1993-1995
• Malcolm Turnbull (Sydney 1978), Australian lawyer, banker, and politician, Liberal Member of the House of Representatives, 2004-
• C. David Naylor (Ontario & Hertford 1979), Canadian medical researcher, President of the University of Toronto
• Nancy-Ann Min DeParle (Tennessee & Balliol 1979), Administrator of the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration, 1997-2000

1980s

• Elsdon Storey (Victoria & Magdalen & Wolfson 1980), Australian neurologist
• Tony Abbott (Sydney 1980), Australian politician, Member of the House of Representatives, 1994-
• Clark Kent Ervin (Texas & St Catherine's 1980), Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Nicholas D. Kristof (Oregon & Magdalen 1981), New York Times reporter and columnist
• Heather A. Wilson (New Hampshire & Jesus 1982), U.S. Congresswoman (New Mexico), 1998-
• Richard Flanagan (Tasmania 1983), Australian author, winner of the 2002 Commonwealth Writers Prize
• David B. Vitter (Louisiana & Magdalen 1983), U.S. Senator (Louisiana), 2005-
• Christopher Eisgruber (Oregon & University 1983), Provost of Princeton University
• George Stephanopoulos (Ohio & Balliol 1984), moderator of ABC's This Week and communications director for Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign
• Brian Greene (New York & Magdalen 1984), American physicist and string theorist
• Robert Malley (Connecticut & Magdalen 1984), Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs, National Security Council, 1997-2001
• Naomi R. Wolf (Connecticut & New College 1985), American author and feminist social critic
• Susan E. Rice (District of Columbia & New College 1986), U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, 1997-2001
• Jacob Weisberg (Illinois & New College 1987), journalist and editor of Slate magazine
• Atul A. Gawande (Ohio & Balliol 1987), surgeon and New Yorker medical writer
• David Chalmers (Australia & Lincoln 1987), Australian philosopher of mind
• David E. Kirk (New Zealand & Worcester 1987), captain of the New Zealand All Blacks who won the inaugural Rugby Union World Cup in 1987
• Brad R. Carson (Oklahoma & Trinity 1989), U.S. Congressman (Oklahoma), 2001-2005

1990s

• P. Robert Jindal (Louisiana & New College 1992), U.S. Congressman (Louisiana), 2005-, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, 2001-2004, President of the University of Louisiana System, 1999-2001
• Cory A. Booker (New Jersey & Queen's 1992), Newark, New Jersey councilman, mayoral candidate, and community activist
• Nikolas Gvosdev (Florida & St Antony's 1992), editor of The National Interest
• Noah Feldman (Massachusetts & Christ Church 1992), American author, NYU law professor, constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, 2003-2004
• Nader Mousavizadeh (Denmark & Christ Church 1992), Assistant for Political Affairs to the UN Secretary-General
• Peter Beinart (Massachusetts & University 1993), editor of The New Republic
• Carellin Brooks (Québec & University 1993), Canadian author and sexual rights activist
• Rachel Maddow (California & Lincoln 1995), American gay rights activist and liberal talk-show host
• Annette Salmeen (California & St John's 1997), American Olympic gold medalist in swimming at Atlanta in 1996
• Hamed Rahim Wardak (Virginia & Magdalen 1997), Private Envoy to the United States of the Afghan Minister of Finance, 2002-2003
• Noam Scheiber (Louisiana & Magdalen 1998), American journalist (The New Republic) and blogger
• Rachel Simmons (New York & Lincoln 1998), American author of Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls (Harcourt, 2002)
• John W. McArthur (British Columbia & Brasenose 1998), Manager of the UN Millennium Project

2000s

• A. David Adesnik (New York & Magdalen 2000)
• Joshua A. Chafetz (Texas & Merton 2001)

Undated

• W. L. Morton, Canadian historian

Centenary degrees

In recognition of the centenary of the foundation of the Rhodes Trust in 2003, five scholars were awarded honorary degrees to Oxford:

Related Topics:
2003 - Degrees

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• John Brademas (Indiana & Brasenose 1950), President of New York Universiy, U.S. Congressman (Indiana), 1959-1981
• Robert J. L. Hawke (Western Australia & University 1953), Prime Minister of Australia, 1983-1991
• Rex Nettleford OM (Jamaica 1957), Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, author, dance director
• David R. Woods (Natal & University 1963), Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University