University of Virginia Library

Two Students Win Rhodes Grants

Scholarships Awarded
To Calhoun, Schenkkan

By Thom Faulders
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Rhodes Scholars Charles Calhoun, Pieter Schenkkan

Two Chosen For Honor In Field Of Seven University Contenders

Charles C. Calhoun and Pieter
M. Schenkkan were selected for
Rhode scholarships by their
respective districts of competition
on December 21.

Mr. Calhoun and Mr. Schenkkan
were chosen for the honor in the
Southern district and the Gulf district
respectively after competing in
a three-part selection process.

Seven University students
initially applied for the scholarship.
In a selective process which began
early this fall, they were
interviewed by the University
selection committee and then
recommended by the University to
various states, determined by either
their residency or by the location
of their school.

Two State Nominees

On the basis of interviews,
letters of recommendation, and
academic records, each state
committee selected two nominees
to compete for the district-level
consideration. The district then
picked four from the state
recommendations to receive the
scholarship.

One of four scholars chosen
from the Southern district, Mr.
Calhoun is a first-year law student
who comes from Largo, Florida. He
received a B.A. degree in history
from the University last June.

He is president of the Raven
Society, a member of Phi Beta-Kappa,
and former editor-in-chief
of The Cavalier Daily. Mr. Calhoun
is also a member of Omicron Delta
Kappa leadership fraternity and was
past president of the Kappa Sigma
social fraternity.

Law At Oxford

He plans to read law at Oxford
for his two year scholarship and
then to return to finish his law
studies at an American university.
Now resident advisor in Lefevre
House, he explained that if the
scholar does well in his Oxford
studies, he may stay for an
additional year.

Mr. Schenkkan is a fourth-year,
student from Austin, Texas, where
he was selected in the Gulf district.
He is a member of the Student
Council and a holder of the
University's Honor Award.

He is also an Echols Scholar, a
member of the Raven Society, and
a senior dormitory counselor.

Three-Way Major

Planning to study politics,
philosophy and economics as a
three-way major, Mr. Schenkkan
anticipates a two year stay in
England. When asked about the
draft, he projected his lack of
encouragement. He said he had
talked to his draft board over the
Christmas break and reported he
was not promised anything. He
added that he was hoping for an
end to the war in Vietnam, and
stated that he was definitely
planning on attending Oxford in
October unless the draft board says
otherwise.

District Finalists

Two more of the seven
applicants were district finalists,
but failed to be chosen as scholars.
William A. Wright and Haley D.
Collums competed in the Southern
district, along with Mr. Calhoun,
after being recommended by the
respective states for the scholarship.

The Rhodes scholarship was
established by Cecil Rhodes, a
South African empire builder, and
has been awarded annually in the
United States and the British
Commonwealth since 1903.

Thirty-two scholars are chosen
from eight districts in the United
States, with an average of six states
per district.

Mr. Calhoun explained that the
scholarship is awarded for two
years, with the possibility of a one
year extension The emphasis on
instruction at Oxford is on the
tutorial system. The student writes
a paper weekly, meets with his
tutor to discuss it, and takes an
exam in his field of study at the
end of his two years. Mr. Calhoun
also added that there is ample
opportunity involved with the
award to travel.

He went on to explain the
organization of Oxford University
as a loose federation of 33 colleges,
which are residential bodies each
with its own buildings, students and
faculty. He noted that some of
these colleges date back to the 13th
century.

The scholarship, which pays the
students' tuition, fees and provides
a living allowance, was established
with qualifications described by
Cecil Rhodes. He wanted scholars
combining character and intellect,
who have shown leadership and
physical vigor and who would come
"to esteem the performance of
public duties as his highest aim."

Physical Vigor

According to a memorandum
sent out by the Rhodes Scholarship
Committee, Mr. Rhodes felt
physical vigor to be important, but
athletic prowess itself to be of
subordinate concern to the moral
qualities that can be developed in
sports. Financial need does not
have a special claim on the
scholarship distribution, and no
student shall be disqualified on
account of his race or religious
beliefs, according to the release.

Famous Rhodes Scholars
include Dean Rusk, William
Fulbright, Bill Bradley, Nicholas
Katzenbach, Charles Collingwood,
Supreme Court Justices John M.
Harlan and Byron White, and
author Robert Penn Warren.

Members of the University
community who were Rhodes
Scholars include Arthur Kyle Davis,
Jr., Hoyt N. Duggan, Robert K.
Gooch, A. E. Dick Howard, J.
James Murray, Jr., Edgar F.
Shannon, Jr., Emerson B. Spies and
George B. Thomas.

Requirements for applying for
the scholarship are also set by the
Committee. The applicant must be
between the ages of 18 and 24,
unmarried, and a student of an
accredited American college or
university.