Harvard Tops Princeton, Nation With Six Rhodes Scholars

When Rebecca Boggs '95 won a Rhodes Scholarship this weekend, she got a double treat.

Her boyfriend, Duke University student Michael Wenthe, also won a Rhodes. After six years of a long distance relationship, Boggs and Wenthe will finally be able to spend some time in the same place.

The good news came only after a grueling interview (which included questions like "What would you do as Clinton's campaign manager?") and an even longer wait. Boggs, who won in the Great Lakes district, said she and her fellow candidates waited for "the longest two hours of anyone's life."

Boggs was one of six Harvard seniors among 32 students nationwide to win Rhodes scholarships over the weekend.

Maria E. Kaibel, Sarah E. Light, Drew D. Hansen, Monica Salamon, Jordan T. Schreiber and Boggs received the news Saturday after interview sessions at six of the eight regional districts around the country.

Harvard's total of six recipients was more than any other university. Princeton was second with three winners.

Harvard's scholars will join 26 other students from across the nation at Oxford next year and will study subjects ranging from literature to sociology.

This year, a record 18 of the 32 scholars named were women. The scholarship program, founded in 1902 by philanthropist Cecil Rhodes, was not opened to women applicants until 1976.

The scholarship program searches for students who have shown academic achievement, integrity, leadership and athletic prowess. Approximately 60 foreign scholars were also selected from 17 countries around the world.

Kaibel, a Minneapolis native who concentrates in History and American Literature, learned that she had won at 5 p.m. Saturday evening, after meeting with a panel of interviewers.

The discussion focused on community service, an area of interest to Kaibel and to many of the scholars chosen nationwide. But she also said the questioning had a few surprises.

"They threw in a couple of random questions about the death penalty," said Kaibel, adding that she suspected interviewers were interested in observing her reaction to unexpected questions.

Kaibel said that before the Midwest region Rhodes scholars were announced, she was "anxious." The other candidates all seemed "very calm and collected," she said. She was "pretty shocked" to hear her name listed among the winners, she added.

Schreiber spoke of a similar tension in his Southwest region meeting.

"Any time a doorknob turned, we all turned around in anticipation," said Schreiber, who is a Crimson editor.

Kaibel, Boggs, Light and Schreiber agreed that Harvard's resources played a role in their selection from a group of 1,253 applicants.

"In my three and one-half years, professors encouraged me...to do independent research and to push myself," said Light, who is from Belmont, Mass. Light added that she is "eternally grateful" for Harvard's guidance.

Kaibel acknowledged the solid support structure throughout the University, especially the help of house tutors whose efforts ranged from critiquing essays to mentoring.

Light celebrated with friends on Saturday night, but plans to stay on top of her academics in the coming weeks. Although she has won a prestigious scholarship, "work doesn't stop," she said.

Kaibel also has no plans to celebrate beyond the weekend. The first chapter of his thesis is due early this week

Kaibel said that before the Midwest region Rhodes scholars were announced, she was "anxious." The other candidates all seemed "very calm and collected," she said. She was "pretty shocked" to hear her name listed among the winners, she added.

Schreiber spoke of a similar tension in his Southwest region meeting.

"Any time a doorknob turned, we all turned around in anticipation," said Schreiber, who is a Crimson editor.

Kaibel, Boggs, Light and Schreiber agreed that Harvard's resources played a role in their selection from a group of 1,253 applicants.

"In my three and one-half years, professors encouraged me...to do independent research and to push myself," said Light, who is from Belmont, Mass. Light added that she is "eternally grateful" for Harvard's guidance.

Kaibel acknowledged the solid support structure throughout the University, especially the help of house tutors whose efforts ranged from critiquing essays to mentoring.

Light celebrated with friends on Saturday night, but plans to stay on top of her academics in the coming weeks. Although she has won a prestigious scholarship, "work doesn't stop," she said.

Kaibel also has no plans to celebrate beyond the weekend. The first chapter of his thesis is due early this week