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January 11, 2010
Erin Fitzgerald, a fourth-year student in international relations and political science, is off to study at the University of Oxford next year, courtesy of a Rhodes scholarship.
Fitzgerald is one of two Ontarians and 11 Canadians to earn the prestigious scholarship for 2010. Established in 1903, the scholarships provide students with tuition and fees to Oxford for two years and a stipend. The selection process is highly competitive and involves an application, references and an in-depth interview. Candidates are required to show evidence of academic excellence, leadership, community engagement and physical vitality in order to meet founder Cecil Rhodes’ vision of developing outstanding leaders who would make a positive difference in the world.
U of T’s newest Rhodes Scholar certainly fits the requirements. In addition to her academic prowess, she is chair of U of T’s G8 research group, a network that monitors and reports on the actions of the G7 and G8 organizations.
“I’ve been involved with the group since my first year,” she said. “This year, with the summit in Canada, we’ll be much more involved and have a lot more contact with government.”
Fitzgerald serves as a student representative to University Affairs Board and is also an internationally ranked karate athlete. She recently returned with the Hart House team from the World Debating Championships in Turkey where she helped judge the competition.
The future Rhodes Scholar chose to attend U of T because of its strong international relations program. She was originally interested in development work, but says her interests have shifted more toward military issues. She spent the past summer in Washington, D.C., working at a think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
“I’m still interested in development and the nexus between the two areas,” she noted. “The military instrument can create conditions for development organizations to work and I hope to explore that during my master’s studies.”
During her third year at U of T, Fitzgerald decided it was time to make some life decisions and began exploring graduate programs in international relations.
“The Oxford international relations program stood out,” she said. “I really wanted to be at Oxford and I thought about how I could do that.”
She realized that she met the criteria for a Rhodes scholarship and could be a competitive candidate, so she applied and was accepted.
“I’ve started to meet a few other Rhodes scholars and they’re all interesting people,” she said. “I’m so excited to be part of that community. I think it will be a great two years.”
The University of Toronto has produced numerous Rhodes Scholars over the years, including President David Naylor and Liberal MP Bob Rae, and, more recently, Amol Verma, a 2009 medical school graduate who is presently studying global health at Oxford.
This article is available on the University of Toronto website.