CHANTAL Ononaiwu, a lawyer at the Attorney General’s Chamber and part-time lecturer at the University of the West Indies’ (UWI’s) Faculty of Law, yesterday received one of academia’s most coveted awards — the Rhodes Scholarship.

At the same time two other applicants — Darryl Stewart, an actuary and Conniel Arnold, a final year student at the Cornell University in New York — were selected to go to Barbados on Sunday to compete with other applicants from the region for the two Caribbean Commonwealth Rhodes Scholarships.

Stewart earned his Bachelor of Science degree in actuarial science at the UWI while Arnold is pursuing her Bachelors in Government Studies with a concentration in international relations.

Ononaiwu, 23, was selected over nine other students, including Stewart and Arnold, after going through a series of rigorous interviews, conducted by Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke and a team of six comprised mainly of university professors, at King’s House yesterday.

She will take up the offer next September. The Rhodes Scholarship will provide her with full tuition and living expenses for two years of study at Oxford University. In England, she plans to pursue a Doctor of Philanthropy in law with an emphasis in international trade “from a development perspective”.

“I feel very exuberant and humbled as well,” a soft-spoken Ononaiwu told the Observer after being announced the winner by the governor-general.

She said it was the second time she had competed for the scholarship.

“But though it was still challenging, I think I was better prepared this time,” she said as she recalled the almost seven hours of rigorous interviews.

“It felt great to have been in the company of other distinguished students,” she added.

Meanwhile, both Stewart and Arnold are heading to Barbados with high spirits.

“I am quite excited,” Stewart told the Observer. “To get another chance to compete for the scholarship is an opportunity not to be missed.

“Today (yesterday) was very challenging and I am expecting the same in Barbados because the students are equally intelligent,” Arnold said. “But I am confident I can win one of the scholarships.”

Yesterday, the governor-general said judging from the interviews, Jamaica is in “excellent form”.

“As they (students) develop, the country will have a solid foundation for growth and development to compete with the world,” he said.

But Sir Howard also had some words for those hopefuls who “did not make it”.

“Remember you are young yet and I’ve seen it more than once where people did not impress us the first time around but came back and won,” he encouraged the students.

The Rhodes Scholarships were created by British philanthropist Cecil Rhodes in his will 1902, making them the oldest of the international study awards available to students. The Rhodes Trust makes its selections by examining academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership and physical vigour.

Others who have received the award include former premier, Norman Manley; Professor Rex Nettleford; Ambassador Dudley Thompson; Jamaica Labour Party senator David Panton; Professor Trevor Munroe; UWI lecturer Steven Vasciannie; Mervyn Morris; Hector Wynter; Ralph Carnegie and Eleanor Brown, who herself was a part of the interviewing team yesterday.