Yes! We love to see it!
Arielle Hudson just became the first Black woman to receive a Rhodes Scholarship from the University of Mississippi, WLBT reports.
The Ole Miss’ senior is the 27th student selected for the distinguished honor. The winners of the scholarship were announced last month. Hudson majors in English education and received a full scholarship from the Ole Miss chapter of the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program. She plans to enroll in a dual master’s program studying comparative social policy and comparative international education as a Rhodes scholar.
After completing the scholarship program, Hudson will return to Mississippi to fulfill the five year teaching obligation of her scholarship. A Mississippi native, she is just one of 32 students selected from around the world to the prestigious program. Rhodes Scholar recipients go on to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom each year. The program seeks out high academic performing students and students who have potential for effective service to the world.
Hudson spoke to The Daily Journal about the award saying, “It’s a great privilege and I’m excited to be in Oxford, to be submerged in a culture of diverse people and diverse curriculum and figure out some of the best solutions to bring back to Mississippi and the U.S.”
David Rock, an education dean at Ole Miss, spoke of Hudson’s achievement. “Arielle is already one of the top academic students at the University of Mississippi as part of the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program. Being selected as a Rhodes Scholar is simply a sensational accomplishment for any student. We are so proud of Arielle and her recognition,” he said.
Hudson, a Mississippi native has already made great strides on campus. She is chair of the Association Student Body’s Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement Committee. She is also the current president of the Black Student Union, an ambassador for the Office of Admissions and the School of Education and a mentor for Mississippi Outreach to Scholastic Talent.
The Mississippi native says her ultimate goal is to make education in Mississippi better. “Specifically, I want to focus on public education in Mississippi – so creating viable solutions to really reckon with the inequities that exist as far as equality in equity in Mississippi when it comes to funding, resources for students and professional development for teachers,” Hudson said.
Congratulations Arielle!
Photo Courtesy of University of Mississippi/WLBT