Students become Rhodes Scholars
Univ. sole public school with two Scholars this year
PEARMAN PARKER
Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: News
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Deep Shah, a senior from Duluth, and Kate Vyborny, a 2005 alumna from Raleigh, N.C., join 19 other University alumni who have received the honor since its origin in 1902.
"This is the biggest (thing) they could compete for and win," David Williams, campus Rhodes Scholar representative and director of Foundation Fellows and the Honors Program, said Sunday.
The Rhodes Scholarship is awarded based on students' academic performance, personal integrity, leadership potential and physical vigor. Students are given about $45,000 a year to study at Oxford University in England for two to three years.
Out of 764 applicants this year, 32 men and women were chosen to study abroad. Other scholarship recipients hail from schools including Princeton, Harvard, Columbia, Yale and MIT.
"The scholarship is intended to identify students who will 'fight the world's fight' and make a tremendous impact on the world," Williams said.
Graduating in the spring, Shah plans to pursue his graduate degree in global health science at Oxford University - an ideal combination for a career in health policy, Shah said.
With his degrees in international affairs and biology, Shah said the graduate degree was almost necessary to achieve his goals.
Shah said he wants to practice medicine and be influential in shaping health policy.
He is in the application process for medical schools and if accepted will defer admission to attend Oxford University.
"Rhodes Scholarship is the most unique opportunity to learn about the world from a different perspective," Shah said.
Despite the various demands of the Honors Program and Foundation Fellows, Shah said, his family encouraged him to put his studies first.
"I want to emphasize how much this reflects the time and energy my family, UGA Honors Program and my friends have invested in me the past few years," he said in a phone interview.
Kate Vyborny, the second recipient, said she was excited to attend Oxford University and pursue a master's degree in global development.
"I'm really excited because I'm really interested in improving policy that affects poverty," she said.
As the program coordinator for the president of the Center of Global Development, Vyborny's experiences fueled her passion for global aid.
"At the center, we used rigorous research (and worked on) improving the effectiveness of foreign aid," she said.
After working in Washington, D.C., Vyborny said she applied to the program in order to strengthen her academic background.
"We are very pleased in them and expect them to do great things," Williams said.
Williams said this year sets records for the University.
"We are the only public institution with at least two winners this year," Williams said.
Williams said three University students were invited to attend interviews. Georgia has not had more than one student interviewed in a given year, Williams said.
"This underscores the quality of students in the Honors Program that they can compete successfully with the very best in the country," Williams said.
Famous Rhodes Scholars include former President Bill Clinton, ABC political correspondent George Stephanopoulos and musician Kris Kristofferson.
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