Blair alumni selected as Rhodes Scholars

Two Blair graduates were chosen as 2006 Rhodes Scholars, entitling them to a prestigious graduate school scholarship given by Oxford University in England.

William L. Hwang and Rahul Satija, 2002 graduates from the Magnet program at Blair, were two of 32 Americans honored with this scholarship. These are the first two Magnet graduates of Blair to be chosen as Rhodes Scholars. Both Hwang and Satija are currently seniors at Duke University.

The Rhodes Scholarship, which provides for two to three years of free tuition at Oxford University as well as expenses, was established in 1902 through the will of Cecil Rhodes and is the oldest international scholarship available to American students. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic achievement, character and leadership ability.

This year, 903 students from 333 colleges and universities applied. The two-part application process includes being endorsed by the applicant's university and by a state or the District of Columbia, according to the scholarship website. The Committee of Selection then chooses the strongest candidates, this year 216 students, for an interview to determine the finalists.

Past Rhodes scholars include former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), author Jonathan Kozol, Gen. Wesley Clark, ABC political reporter George Stephanopoulos and New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof.

Worldwide, 85 Rhodes scholarships were awarded in 2005.