Trinity’s Caroline Leps awarded Prestigious Rhodes Scholarship

Posted: May 07, 2015

Trinity Global Health and International Relations student Caroline Leps is one of 83 students from around the world being named a 2015 Rhodes Scholar. She will be pursuing a postgraduate degree in comparative social policy, with the intention of eventually becoming a pediatrician working in global children’s health in low- and middle-income settings.

Caroline LepsIn addition to being co-president of the International Relations Society, Leps volunteers at Sick Kids Hospital, and at a camp for children diagnosed with cancer. She is also co-captain of Trinity’s basketball team, co-president of Trinity’s Women’s Athletic Association and plays violin in the Hart House Orchestra.

“It’s a surreal experience. I’m still in shock,” says the new Rhodes Scholar, who is also a recipient of the John Harvey Whiteside Scholarship. “I feel incredibly lucky and excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, and can’t wait to pursue my studies at Oxford. I’m so grateful to Trinity for the large part it played in making all of this possible.”

She is in good company. Since the program was established in 1903, Trinity has been notable for producing an impressive number of Rhodes Scholars. In fact, a Trinity student has received the scholarship, on average, once every three years since its inception. Notable Trinity Rhodes scholars include George Ignatieff ’36, Derek Allen ’69 and John Allemang ’74 (see his feature interview with fellow alum John Tory ’75 on page 12).

Established by Cecil Rhodes, the Scholarships support academically talented student leaders wanting to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford (Leps will be studying Global Health Sciences). Besides academic excellence, the scholarship requires successful applicants demonstrate a devotion to community service and leadership.

Leps is the 41st Trinity student to be awarded the Rhodes Scholarship.

This article was first published in Trinity Magazine Spring 2015. To read the magazine, visit http://magazine.trinity.utoronto.ca/.