Emory University senior Ahmed Aljohani learned this weekend he has earned a 2022 Rhodes Scholarship, the most prestigious academic award in higher education.
The scholarship provides all expenses for two or three years of study at the University of Oxford in England. Sarah A. Skinner, a senior at the United States Naval Academy who is from Atlanta, was also chosen as a 2022 Rhodes Scholar.
“I never imagined such an honor. I don’t think I would have been accepted to the Rhodes without being so well rounded,” Aljohani said in a statement on the university’s website. “I owe that to Emory, for being a place to explore yourself and develop skills as a full person. That is essential in this world.”
Past prominent Rhodes Scholars include former President Bill Clinton, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., actor and singer Kris Kristofferson, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Here are five things to know about Aljohani:
- He is a biology major in Emory’s College of Arts and Sciences.
- He’s a native of Saudi Arabia, the first Emory Rhodes Scholar from that country. Emory has 20 past Rhodes Scholars.
- He co-authored a paper earlier this year that explored the effect of plant chemicals on immunity in monarch butterflies.
- He wants to study how coral reefs in the north Red Sea are resisting climate change. Aljohani hopes the research will help save coral reefs globally.
- He co-leads the Muslim Student Association and is a mentor to international students.
