Two Black Students at American Universities Win International Rhodes Scholarships

Last week, JBHE published a featured story on the 10 African Americans who were named Rhodes Scholars from the United States. The 32 Rhodes Scholars chosen from the United States are just a fraction of the students honored by the Rhodes Scholarship program. Rhodes Scholars are chosen from 23 other jurisdictions (more than 60 countries) around the world, and for the second year, two scholars have been chosen from countries in the world without their own scholarship. Over one hundred Rhodes Scholars will be selected worldwide this year, including several who have attended American colleges and universities but who are not U.S. citizens and who have applied through their home countries.

Beauclaire Mbanya graduated from the University of Rochester in May with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. He is the third University of Rochester student or alumnus to receive a Rhodes Scholarship and the first in 56 years. Mbanya is one of two Global Rhodes Scholars selected from nations that do not have their own Rhodes Scholar programs. Mbanya is a native of Cameroon. At Oxford, Mbanya intends to conduct research on issues at the intersection of sustainable energy, technology, and policy development.

Fitzroy ‘Pablo’ Wickham from the nation of Jamaica is a senior at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. He is majoring in neuroscience and theater. Wickham is a graduate of York Castle High School in St. Ann, Jamaica. As a Rhodes Scholar, Wickham plans to study for a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in neuroscience at the Univerity of Oxford and then enter medical school.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. I think you meant to say “African and Caribbbean” immigrants won the racist, exploitative, and robber barron “Rhodes Scholarship”.

      • You clearly understood my point. If not, let me assist you. Both African and Caribbean immigrant do not come to the USA to become part of the “Native born Black American” community. Most of these individuals have the same “racist mentality” towards “Native born Black Americans” as White American racist due to their colonial and neocolonial miseducation. Regarding your feeble minded question, “Native born Black Americans” should never accept a Rhodes Scholarship either. Do you think you would find so-called Jewish college students happily accepting an “Adolph Hitler scholarship”? I wonder why. Last, I just bet you have never lived or visited South Africa and certainly do not speak isiZulu even though part of your name is “Zulu”.

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