University of Wisconsin-Madison senior Drew Birrenkott is the recipient of the 2014 Rhodes Scholarship and will be invited to spend two or three years of study, all-expenses paid, at Oxford University in England.
The Rhodes Scholarship was founded in 1902 by British philanthropist Cecil Rhodes and is the oldest international study program in the world, valued at approximately $50,000 per year on average.
Birrenkott is a fifth-year senior majoring in political science, biochemistry and biomedical engineering.
At Oxford, Birrenkott said he hopes to pursue a Masters of philosophy in development studies. After receiving this degree, Birrenkott wants to return to the U.S. and pursue a medical degree in hopes of ultimately working on implementing and deciding health systems for developing countries.
Through the biochemistry department’s Khorana program and Engineers Without Borders, he has studied and worked in India and Kenya, respectively.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to do programs that span the hard sciences and the social sciences and have had mentors that have been fantastic in all of those,” Birrenkott said.
Candidates for the prestigious scholarship are chosen based on traits including outstanding scholarly achievements, character and commitment to others as well as to the common good.
“In a lot of ways being able to win this award is a testament to my community, to the McFarland community I grew up in and the UW-Madison community,” Birrenkott said.
Birrenkott’s selection process started back in June. After receiving an endorsement from the university, Birrenkott found out he was a finalist in late October.
He traveled to Chicago Sunday to interview alongside 11 other finalists, a process which he said felt “surreal.”
“It went by in a flash, it was there and it was gone,” Birrenkott said.
Birrenkott said a committee deliberated for two hours before announcing him as one of the winners.
“I’m very elated to win the scholarship, Birrenkott said. “In a lot of ways what it is, is opening the door to my next step.”
