No less than three Rhodes students have been selected for the prestigious Fulbright Foreign Student Program. Kyle O’Hagan, Alex Lenferna and Adriano Mendes will start fully-funded PhD’s at three different American Universities in August and September this year.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen three that I’m aware of,” says Financial Aid Administrator (Postgraduate) Mr John Gillam, who has been in the office for almost 20 years. He attributes the scholarship awards to the high calibre of students, adding that the pool of Rhodes students has been very strong this year.
Biochemistry Masters student Kyle O’Hagan says he is very surprised to be among approximately 20 South Africans selected, but is excited about the new chapter in his life. With the possibility of specializing in translational medicine in the field of Cancer Biology at Northwestern University in Chicago, O’Hagan hopes to contribute to customized and personalized cancer treatment, an area of research which is not common in South Africa.
Scholars are contractually obliged to return to their country of residence for two years on the completion of their PhD. “The whole aim of the Fulbright Scholarship is to promote mutual understanding between South Africa and the United States,” says O’Hagan.
“So, in essence, you go over to learn different techniques and skills, which you bring to South Africa to incorporate within the research or work you end up doing,” he says. For him, this will probably involve working for a private cancer research institute.
Having had the opportunity to visit the Chicago University during his interview made a great impact on O’Hagan’s decision to study there.
For Philosophy Masters student Alex Lenferna, however, the University of Kansas did not initially look like a good fit because it didn’t have a specialist in his field. But he soon realised the advantages of broadening his horizons in philosophy while applying his strong background in environmental ethics and law to other fields.
“It was a difficult decision, but it turned out to be the best one in the end. After all that, I’m really excited to go,” says Lenferna, who was also selected as a research associate for the KU C-CHANGE program, which aims to advance scientific knowledge about global climate change by connecting researchers, disciplines, and institutions.
When he returns to South Africa, Lenferna is looking to work in the field of policy development, government, law or education. “That’s the advantage of inter-disciplinary research,” he says of the PhD coursework, in which he will get the opportunity to combine issues of climate change with social inequalities and oppression.
Microbiology Masters student Adriano Mendes has been accepted to do Molecular Virology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He sees the scholarship as a wonderful opportunity to kickstart a science career at a graduate school renowned for this field, and he acknowledges the support of his home base. “I would not be in this position were it not for the support of friends and family as well as those who have guided my career at Rhodes,” he says.
This sentiment is echoed by the two other recipients. “This community really shaped me into who I am now. I owe a lot of who I am to Rhodes University and certain aspects of the culture it promotes,” says Lenferna.
O’Hagan adds his belief that the Postgraduate Financial Aid office is unmatched by any other in South Africa. “They’re really approachable… they really go out of their way,” he says.
The office provides assistance through scholarship presentations, matching students to research and funding, and ensuring that applications are as strong as possible. But Gillam insists that it is the culture of students sharing information to help each other succeed, which leads to their success.
Photo and story by Ruth Woudstra
Fulbright scholarship recipients from l-r: Kyle O’Hagan and Alex Lenferna talk about their scholarships (not in the photo third recipient, Adriano Mendes, was on Marion Island doing research).