The disciplines medicine, physics, music and anthropology paired with a desire to change the world describe six students who are nominated for the prestigious Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell scholarships.
“We are extremely impressed with the accomplishments of these six students, and are pleased they have been considered for such prestigious scholarships,” says Lester Monts, senior vice provost for academic affairs and senior counselor to the president. “Collectively they represent a multi-disciplinary approach to education and a strong a desire to change the world.”
The Rhodes Scholarships allow outstanding students from many countries around the world to study at the University of Oxford. Marshall Scholarships finance those who wish to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. The George Mitchell Scholarship Program provides for one year of graduate work in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.
The nominees are:
• Christine Beamer of Spokane, Wash., who is pursuing dual degrees in English, LSA, and viola performance, School of Music Theatre & Dance, is nominated for the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships. She plays principal viola with the University Philharmonia Orchestra, where she also mentors younger violinists to help them develop professional orchestral skills. She also serves as communication coordinator for the University Mentorship Program, and has pioneered several programs including Multicultural Night and Commuter Coffee Hour.
• Maia Dedrick of Maplewood, Minn., who is pursuing dual degrees in anthropology and archaeology, LSA, and cello performance, School of Music, Theatre & Dance, is nominated for the Marshall award. In 2007 she became the first undergraduate student to supervise the excavation of a project for the Programme for Belize Archaeological Project in Belize. Dedrick also interned for the Archaeobiology Program at the Smithsonian Institution, worked as a docent for the University Exhibit Museum of Natural History and is founder and president of the Archaeology Club.
• Abdul El-Sayed of Ann Arbor, who holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and political science from LSA, and is pursuing a doctorate in epidemiology, School of Public Health (SPH), and an M.D., Medical School, is nominated for the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships. El-Sayed is a second year student in the NIH-funded Medical Scientist Training Program. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the Michigan Men’s Lacrosse team and an active member of the Muslim Students’ Association. As a medical student, he co-founded a student organization that has raised more than $4,500 and coordinated in excess of 500 hours of community service for a local non-profit clinic, founded the Neurosurgery Interest Group and led a medical mission to Peru. His current research interests include the social determinants of health, Arab-American health, the social determinants of neurological disorders, and the etiology of neural tube defects in Guatemala.
• Sam Espahbodi of Macomb, Ill., who is pursuing a bachelor’s in physics, LSA, is nominated for the Marshall scholarship. During the summer, Espahbodi conducted spin correlation studies for resonant decays while in the Research Undergraduate Experiences Program (REU) for CERN and in 2007 studied group theory for unified model building for REU. In 2006 he was awarded the William J. Branstrom Freshman Prize for being in the top 5 percent of the LSA class, and in 2007 he received the Evelyn O. Bychinsky Award, which is given to five math undergraduates.
• Neil Rao of Novi, who holds a master’s degree in health management and policy, SPH, and a bachelor’s in English, LSA, is nominated for the Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell scholarships. Currently a consultant at McKinsey & Company, he plans to pursue a career as both an academic studying perceptions of and reactions to risks and a consultant on topics of strategy and risk management.
• Kendal Sparks of Washington, D.C., who holds a bachelor’s in ancient civilizations and biblical studies, LSA and musical theatre, School of Music, Theatre & Dance, is nominated for the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships. After spending time during college delivering medical supplies and working on a farm in Nicaragua, Sparks returned after graduation to help the people there cope with the effects of globalization. He has been able to integrate his background in performance with his desire for social justice by staging educational plays and using improvisation to resolve conflicts among homeless children.
