Two University of Wisconsin students, Qianyun (Lexi) Luo and Hawra Aljawad, made it to the final round of the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship competition, an academic feat only 203 students qualified for internationally.

Every year, the Rhodes Scholarship is awarded to 100 students who show distinctive academic abilities and a passion for making a difference for postgraduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Since 2005, 23 UW students were finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship and three have received the scholarship, according to UW Undergraduate Academic Awards.

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In an interview with The Badger Herald, finalist Hawra Aljawad spoke of her passion for making change within the medical field as a chemical engineering and biochemistry major. 

“The most important thing that I want to contribute and to help … is to enhance medicines and treatments,” Aljawad said.

There are a number of diseases that still do not have cures, and some of these diseases have had an impact on her family, she said. Four of Aljawad’s family members have autoimmune disorders and both her cousin and grandma died from untreatable diseases.

UW Director for Undergraduate Academic Awards Julie Stubbs said this scholarship is awarded by district in the United States. There are 16 national districts and only 16 finalists for each district.

Stubbs said that Luo was a finalist for the United States and Aljawad was a finalist for Saudi Arabia. 

Additionally, Stubbs said a student needs endorsement from their undergraduate university to be a finalist for the United States. To determine who they endorse, the UW undergraduate award department sets up a nomination process that students can apply for through a series of resumes and interviews. 

Though Aljawad did not need to be endorsed by the university, she worked closely with the Office of Academic Awards and specifically with Julie Stubbs and Assistant Director Debbie Cole.

Aljawad said it helped her immensely to have their support and aid throughout the process. She noted the huge difference between the first draft of her application and the final version submitted for the scholarship. 

“The honor is not for me only,” Aljawad said. “It’s also for the people who helped me through the process.”  

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In addition to receiving support from Stubbs and Debbie, she said her professors and family were a major support system as well. 

Aljawad and Stubbs encourage others to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship and other international awards. Stubbs said students should use the accomplishments of Aljawad and Luo to be inspired to pursue their own goals.

“Students should be confident in themselves,” Aljawad said. “That’s the most important thing in this whole process. I think everyone is unique, they just need to be confident in themselves and find the support that they need.”