Two UChicago students win Rhodes Scholarships to tackle global challenges

CHICAGO - Two University of Chicago students have earned one of the world’s most prestigious honors: the Rhodes Scholarship.

Francesco Rahe and Anqi Qu join the ranks of global leaders, Nobel laureates, and changemakers with their selection to the elite group of 103 scholars worldwide who earn the award each year.

The Rhodes Scholarship provides recipients the chance to study at Oxford University and offers a platform to address pressing global issues.

"Being a Rhodes Scholar is such a unique opportunity because for the next two or three years, I'll be surrounded by some of the brightest people who care so deeply about making a positive change in the world," Qu said.

Rahe echoed that sentiment, adding, "It’s very nice, but it’s also like a responsibility. I want to make sure that I make it worthwhile that they picked me and give back to the communities who’ve given so much to me."

Rahe, a scholar of literature, plans to bridge religious divides by translating Sanskrit texts and sharing their universal themes.

"(Religious stories are) often about grappling with the problems we all have to deal with as human beings," he said. "I just (want) as many people to get to read these stories and learn from these stories as possible."

Qu, who is studying the intersection of artificial intelligence and economics, envisions using AI to fight inequality.

"It’s a field that’s so new and such an up-and-coming field. I think I see huge potential for it to really be used to sort of study the impacts of certain policies in real time," she said.

Rahe and Qu are more than ready to make their mark, just like past winners who have gone on to become presidents, Nobel Prize winners and Supreme Court justices.