On Sunday, it was announced that 32 American students have been awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship for 2026, a distinguished honor that allows them to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford. Among the recipients, five are from U.S. military academies while three each hail from elite institutions such as Yale University, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This year’s scholars have demonstrated remarkable commitment to various social issues ranging from housing and health outcomes to sustainability and rehabilitation programs for prisoners.
Notable winners include Alice L. Hall from Philadelphia, who excels as a varsity basketball player at MIT and serves as student body president. Hall has worked alongside a women’s collective in Ghana, focusing on sustainability initiatives, and intends to study engineering. From Stanford University, Sydney E. Barta, a Paralympic athlete, is recognized not only for her athletic achievements—a member of the track team and singer in a university acapella group—but also for her academic pursuits in bioengineering, aiming to specialize in musculoskeletal sciences.
Another promising scholar is Anirvin Puttur from Gilbert, Arizona, who is currently a senior at the U.S. Air Force Academy. As an instructor pilot and flight commander, Puttur is studying aeronautical engineering and applied mathematics while also having a deep passion for linguistics, demonstrating proficiency in four languages.
The Rhodes Scholarship was established in 1903 by Cecil John Rhodes and aims to empower talented individuals from around the world to engage in two to three years of significant academic study and personal development at Oxford. Over its century-long existence, the program has cultivated a network of more than 8,000 alumni who have gone on to excel in numerous fields including government, arts, education, and social justice.
Notable winners include Alice L. Hall from Philadelphia, who excels as a varsity basketball player at MIT and serves as student body president. Hall has worked alongside a women’s collective in Ghana, focusing on sustainability initiatives, and intends to study engineering. From Stanford University, Sydney E. Barta, a Paralympic athlete, is recognized not only for her athletic achievements—a member of the track team and singer in a university acapella group—but also for her academic pursuits in bioengineering, aiming to specialize in musculoskeletal sciences.
Another promising scholar is Anirvin Puttur from Gilbert, Arizona, who is currently a senior at the U.S. Air Force Academy. As an instructor pilot and flight commander, Puttur is studying aeronautical engineering and applied mathematics while also having a deep passion for linguistics, demonstrating proficiency in four languages.
The Rhodes Scholarship was established in 1903 by Cecil John Rhodes and aims to empower talented individuals from around the world to engage in two to three years of significant academic study and personal development at Oxford. Over its century-long existence, the program has cultivated a network of more than 8,000 alumni who have gone on to excel in numerous fields including government, arts, education, and social justice.
