UWF announces first Rhodes Scholar finalist

The University of West Florida announced its first-ever Rhodes Scholar finalist, marking a historic milestone for the institution. The Rhodes Scholarship is the world's oldest and most prestigious international fellowship, and this achievement coincides with the launch of the John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships. Established through a $500,000 gift from the Merting family, the new office provides students with the guidance, resources and support needed to pursue elite fellowship opportunities such as the Rhodes Scholarship.

Ambrea Hobbs, UWF's finalist in the Rhodes Scholarship, competed at the highest academic levels with the hopes of receiving a fully funded postgraduate study at the University of Oxford. Rhodes scholars receive funding for tuition, an annual living stipend, paid travel expenses and covered visa and health fees. Each year, only a few U.S. students are selected as nominees, and Hobbs, a history and legal studies prelaw senior, joined by Itamar Blau, a mathematics and culture, health and society premed senior, were recognized as the first UWF students to be nominated.

"Ambrea was sent to me by one of our academic advisors, April Kocher, because she knew Ambrea had something special and thought that I might be able to help guide her," said Claire Holderman, coordinator of the John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships. "Within the first few minutes of meeting her, I knew that Ambrea would be our first Rhodes nominee. Although she wasn't fully aware of what the Rhodes Scholarship was, when she found out that she could continue her studies at Oxford University through this fully funded scholarship, she jumped at the opportunity."

After her nomination, Hobbs advanced as one of the fourteen Rhodes finalists for District 7, moving into the highly competitive interview phase of the selection process. She traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, where she interviewed alongside top candidates from institutions across the country, including the University of Pennsylvania and University of North Carolina. While she was not ultimately selected for the scholarship, Hobbs says she is honored and grateful to have been named a Rhodes finalist.

"I am honored to have had the opportunity to represent the University of West Florida on such a prestigious stage," said Hobbs. "Further, I am endlessly grateful for and amazed by the outpouring of support I received from UWF, its faculty and our community in preparation for my application. Though I was not selected for the Rhodes Scholarship, the application process taught me quite a bit about myself. It gave me an opportunity to meaningfully reflect on my personal and academic development up to this point and set my sights toward the future."

After she was selected as a finalist and was interviewed, Dr. Tyler Fisher, a former Rhodes Scholar, reached out to Holderman and had this to say about her: "I am writing briefly to express my profound admiration for Ms. Ambrea Hobbs, the UWF nominee who made it to the final Rhodes Scholarship interviews last weekend. Thank you for writing on her behalf. Although the selection ultimately did not turn in Ambrea's favor, UWF's first Rhodes nominee represented your institution at the highest standard."

John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships provides UWF students and faculty with fellowship opportunities such as Rhodes, Fulbright, Truman and Goldwater, as well as many other national and international fellowships. Students from across disciplines receive process guidance, essay feedback, interview preparation and mentorship to strengthen their applications. The program also hosts monthly workshops that aim to bring awareness to fellowship opportunities, study abroad programs offered at UWF through the Office of International Affairs, research opportunities through the Office of Undergraduate Research, as well as other campus resources that help students ultimately prepare for competitive applications. John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships represents the transformational resources available at UWF that empowers students to pursue global opportunities at the highest levels.

For more information about John W. Merting Family Office of National Fellowships, visit uwf.edu/ONF.