ROANOKE, Va. – WSLS 10 chats with Tahri Phillips who is one of 32 scholars chosen to begin graduate studies next fall. The Rhodes Trust announced Nov. 13 that Phillips, 20, of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, to begin at the University of Oxford in England. The scholarship, which averages approximately $75,000 per year, and up to as much as $250,000, fully funds two to four years of study at Oxford.
The Rhodes Scholarships were created in 1902. They are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, personal energy, ambition for impact, ability to work with others, a commitment to making a strong difference for good in the world, concern for the welfare of others, consciousness of inequities and potential for leadership. “When I found out that I had been selected, I was absolutely speechless,” said Phillips. “I told my parents that it felt like being told that the entire trajectory of my life had shifted in an instant. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am ecstatic.”
At Oxford, Phillips plans to pursue a master’s degree in evidence-based social intervention and policy evaluation. She will build on her undergraduate studies by exploring potential intervention strategies for at-risk and underrepresented youth inside and outside the classroom and how to best create more equitable learning environments for them.
“Oxford is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United Kingdom, making it an ideal place to learn and practice values and behaviors related to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice,” said Phillips. “Through the Rhodes Program, I hope to learn alongside individuals who endeavor to build inclusive spaces, seek difficult truths, and push me to be courageous in making change.”