Michigan Student Awarded Rhodes Scholarship
CBS Detroit - A University of Michigan student studying political science was selected to be a Rhodes Scholar. Amytess Girgis of Grand Rapids is just one of 32 Americans selected to awarded the prestigious award.
In an article by the University Record, Girgis posted on Twitter, "It's been a roller coaster of emotions: joy, shock, anxiety. But most prominent is the understanding of the implications of this honor — and reconciling with its colonial legacy,". Due to Coronavirus, the 2021 U.S. Rhodes Scholars were elected virtually this year.
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Girgis who's heritage is Iranian and Egyptian, did an honors thesis focusing on mutual aid groups in Detroit under COVID-19. She is also active in progressive politics and union organizing, as well as president of the Michigan Stamps Scholars Society, and a leader of UofM's One University campaign. According to Girgis, her career goals plan to be in "amplifying the experiences of the marginalized to rectify past harms."
The Rhodes Scholarships is one of the renowned and oldest international fellowships, where 32 students from the U.S. are selected to study abroad. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, former Louisianna Governor Bobby Jindal, Kris Kristofferson, and Bill Clinton are some of the famous Rhodes Scholars. Students who win the coveted award get an all-expenses-paid scholarship for two to three years of study at the University of Oxford in England. Hailed by many as the world's top university.
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