Professor speaks on 'Rhodes' to success

Assuring the audience that his experience as a Rhodes Scholar was most accurately described with the cliche "the time of my life," Finance Professor Nicholas Soules initiated a panel discussion on fellowship opportunities yesterday. The discussion -- the second in a series of three forums to help students plan for graduate study -- attracted more than 30 students and was moderated by Ann Kuhlman, associate director of the Office of International Programs. A 1989 Rhodes Scholar, Soules found the scholarship's flexibility attractive since he "didn't know where [he] was going" and the program allowed him to change his course of study at Oxford University. While Soules elaborated on the benefits of studying overseas, he added that many people "do it for the wrong reasons" and that it is often just a popular course of action for those graduating at the top of their class. Dispelling the myth that a student must be "a Bill Bradley" -- the Rhodes Scholar and star athlete who attended Princeton University and went on to be a U.S. senator from New Jersey -- Soules assured students that the Rhodes is reducing the importance placed on athletics in the evaluation of the applications. Beau Ances, a 1993 recipient of the Thouron Scholarship and a Medical student at the University, also offered advice, telling students that the scholarship organizations are looking for an "outgoing person" who can be an "ambassador" for the United States. Lauding the "English system" of education, Ances pointed to the advantages of being paired with an expert in the academic field while studying in England. Offering practical advice on deciding to go overseas, Ances emphasized the importance of having a specific "plan of why you want to study" abroad and of weighing all alternatives. "Could you be out in the business world?" Ances asked the audience. Shawn Walker, a 1996 College graduate and Thouron recipient, raised similar issues by posing the question "Why do I want to remain in the world of education?" Having deferred her study in England to help establish the Kelly Writers House, Walker offered the students her take on the scholarship application process. Applying for a fellowship can clarify "where you're going and why you're doing what you're doing," explained Walker. She also described the experience as "valuable," but warned that prospective scholarship students should have personal interaction with colleges overseas before deciding where to study. Kuhlman closed the discussion with her own advice, singling out the importance of not "waiting until the last minute" to complete an application. She also underscored the benefits of thinking about scholarships early, saying that even freshmen and sophomores should research the various grants available. "You may have to be fairly calculating about it," said Kuhlman, referring to the task of obtaining several recommendations from faculty for the applications. College junior Sheela Portonovo praised the panel discussion as "helpful," admitting that she had been "confused on what fellowships were available." The last installation of the graduate study panel discussions is scheduled for February 13 at 4 pm in the Franklin room of Houston Hall. It will focus on the values of getting a Ph.D.

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