Naomi Mburu, a chemical engineering student at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, become the first student from the university to be awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Ms. Mburu’s parents are immigrants to the US from Kenya.
The Rhodes Scholarship gives those awarded a chance to study at Oxford University in England for two to three years with an extension of up to four years. The all expenses paid scholarship is valued at approximately $68,000 (approximately Ksh. 6.8 million) or $ 250,000 (approximately Ksh. 25M) if one gets funded for four years.
32 students from the US, including Naomi Mburu were selected. The applicants are selected as per a criteria provided in the will of Cecil Rhodes, a 19th century British imperialist in Southern Africa.