Despite what some call a conservative recruitment process, this year Hopkins boasts two Marshall Scholar regional finalists and four Rhodes Scholar regional finalists.
Although these numbers are up from last year, when compared to peer institutions such as the Naval Academy, Hopkins falls short. This comparison has raised concerns over the strategies employed by the University in recruiting potential candidates.
"We did amazingly well having four Rhodes regional finalists. This is something we have never done before, the closest is the year we've won. ... Obviously it is disappointing that we didn't win," commented John Bader, assistant dean for academic advising. Bader is responsible for helping students with scholarship applications.
This is the second consecutive year that Hopkins has not produced a Rhodes or Marshall Scholar. In 2003, seniors Sondra Hellstrom and Daniel Davis were selected as Marshall Scholars, and senior Wen Shi was chosen as a Rhodes Scholar. While numbers seem to suggest that Hopkins is becoming more competitive for these scholarships, some feel that there is still a lot of room for improvement.
"My complaint is that Hopkins is not as organized in recruiting and preparing for Rhodes and Marshalls as peer institutions ... I teach a lot of undergrads, I think there are excellent candidates; I am sometimes dismayed that they aren't even aware of these possibilities," said Franklin Knight, a professor in the Department of History.
According to Bader, Hopkins makes a "conservative" effort to recruit students. Faculty first try to identify people who are particularly talented. Information sessions are then held for interested students. E-mails are also sent to students to ask them to consider applying to the scholarships.
Senior Travis Crum, a political science major, says he was approached by the administration at least three times through e-mail to invite him to apply for the scholarships.
He was a finalist for the Marshall Scholarship and intended to get his masters of philosophy in government in the London School of Economics.
Generally, the process begins in the spring semester. Bader meets with prospective students various times and assists them to identify their strengths, the program of study they are interested in, the application essay, and eventually writes their letters of endorsement.
"It is an exercise of self-marking and self-promotion, even the most talented may not know how to do that," Bader said.
"Part of my job is to both appreciate what is so great about them and find a way to communicate that to other people," he added.
Yet, the approach employed by Hopkins may seem a little too "conservative" to Knight. He says that the Naval Academy selects freshmen and sophomores who will be trained and exposed to information that would enable them to answer questions in the interviews.
According to a Nov. 25 Associated Pressstory, the Naval Academy has cocktail party rehearsals for their applicants in preparation for similar ones held by the Rhodes committee.
Knight explained that Harvard University brings Oxford and Cambridge graduates to the institute to coach the "pre-selected" students.
"There is no reason why Hopkins should not do that. I think students at Hopkins are just as good as Princeton and Yale and the Naval Academy," Knight said.
"It's my view that we should have far more qualifiers and far more candidates, [then] we would have far more winners," Knight added.
This year the Naval Academy has produced four Rhodes Scholars, and Yale University has four Marshall Scholars and three Rhodes Scholars.
Whether the process could begin earlier remains debatable. Zirui Song, a senior public health major, who was a Rhodes Scholar finalist said, "I think that it is counterproductive for the growth of a student because to get to this point to be motivated to apply and getting the support of the school, it really comes from what you go through the first three years of your undergraduate education," Song said.
Bader resonated with Song, saying, "I'm not sure if it would work ... The Naval Academy has a much more socialized control and a culture of obedience. While it is marvelous to win these things, ... it doesn't come from the people pushing you."
Song found his passion in public health and founded the Epidemic Proportions in 2003. He took his interest to a further level as he interned at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C. researching on adolescent smoking and clinical obesity.
Created in 1902 under the will of Cecil John Rhodes, the British colonial pioneer and statesmen, the Rhodes Scholarship is tenable at the University of Oxford, England for a two or three-year program of study at the choice of the applicant.
The first Marshall Scholarships were granted in 1954 and, as it is today, winners may study in a selected number of universities in the United Kingdom. At least 40 winners are chosen for the Marshall Scholarships and 32 for the Rhodes Scholarships every year.
