She is the first among Sikh women to get the Rhodes Scholarship.
Serene Singh, a University of Colorado Boulder student majoring in political science and journalism, has achieved a Rhodes Scholarship[/tweetit], one among a meager 32 to do so. The scholarship will enable her to continue her studies at England's prestigious Oxford University beginning fall 2019.
CU Boulder Sikh Woman Wins Rhodes Scholarship[/tweetthis]
Singh has many distinctions on her proverbial belt. The Colorado Springs, Colorado native is the pioneer CU Boulder woman and the 20th student of CU Boulder to win the highly desired academic scholarship. She is the first Rhodes scholar of the university since 1993, the year Jim Hansen, the captain of the Colorado Buffaloes team and All Big Eight tackle football player won the award. Her past achievements included bagging the Truman Scholarship when she was a junior. Singh also represented her university as a Marshall Scholarship finalist. The Boettcher Scholar is a member of the Presidents Leadership Class in CU and the president of Political Science Honor Society. She is also a certified coach of speech and debate. The multi-talented woman also does duty as chief justice for the student government of CU.
According to Singh, she can humanize people due to her Sikh identity. People in her community are stereotyped, and she was no exception. She claimed to be a better advocate and much more inclusive of individuals who are kept away due to various factors, and thus do not have such opportunities. Her interview with the scholar selection committee of the Rhodes program happened on November 16-17 in Salt Lake City. She greeted her win with a mix of gratitude, excitement, and shock.
Singh’s achievements are not limited to academics. She is a founder of Colorado Bhangra Team; a group of people doing Punjabi dance moves and has involved herself with the founding of National Sikh Youth Program. She also serves as the president of Sikh Student Association of CU. Singh holds the American Junior Miss and the prestigious Teen Miss Colorado titles. She also founded the Serenity Project. The latter is a nonprofit which promotes the betterment of young women who have endured hardship or trauma in their lives.
Congratulations to @cuboulderpsci student, Serene Singh. CU’s newest Rhodes Scholar. https://t.co/mEHO8gmvl5
— E. Scott Adler (@EScottAdler) November 19, 2018
The university top brass is effusive in their praise of the young woman. Deborah Viles, director of Office of Top Scholarships inside CU, has unreservedly praised her. Viles said Singh is a “truly remarkable scholar, leader, activist and human.”