This collection of Scholar stories illustrates the profound and powerful impact of the Rhodes community around the world. We are grateful to all those who have taken the time to share their experiences, and hope these will be an inspiration to others.
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In the first phase of the project, we conducted around 150 interviews with Scholars from around the world, some of whom self-nominated while some were recommended by their peers. We sought to prioritise those with longer life experiences while ensuring representation across election constituencies and the myriad ways that Scholars have fought the world’s fight.
We are now in the second phase of the project, and our current areas of focus are:
Women's stories in anticipation of the 50 Years of Rhodes Women celebrations.
Scholars celebrating 50 years since their arrival at Oxford.
Alumni who have contributed to the Trust through volunteering or supportive roles.
Those wishing to deepen their engagement with the Trust.
Please note that the self-nomination form is currently closed. We look forward to sharing additional opportunities for Alumni to take part in the future.
We prioritised Scholars with longer life experiences to date, which means certain Rhodes constituencies that are more recent may not be represented yet. It is also important to note that women were first selected as Rhodes Scholars in 1977.
The first Rhodes Scholarships were for students from the countries specified in Cecil Rhodes’s will of 1902: the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, what was then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia), New Zealand, Bermuda and Jamaica, and Germany. In all, there were to be 57 Rhodes Scholars selected each year, and that allocation remained broadly the same until the 1940s.
Since then, the geographic reach and diversity of the Scholarship has gradually expanded. Today, the Rhodes Scholarship is awarded to over 100 Scholars from 25 constituencies, including a Global selection for those candidates not eligible in a specific geography, making the Scholarship truly worldwide.
Much like the Rhodes Scholarship itself, the Oral History Project continues to change and evolve over time. We look forward to expanding the collection and showcasing even more Scholar stories in the future. If you have any questions about the project, please reach out to communications@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk.
To request permission for public re-use of any of the materials that are part of the Oral History Project, please contact communications@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk.
To request access to full transcripts for any Scholar entry to inform personal research, please reach out to archives@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk.