Arens Becomes Tenth USD Rhodes Scholar
“We couldn’t be more pleased that Josh has been named a Rhodes Scholar. It’s an extraordinary honor for an extraordinary young man,” said USD President James W. Abbott. “Josh is a great role model for all USD students.”
Arens is the 10th Rhodes Scholarship winner from USD. At the University of Oxford in England, he will pursue a master’s degree in philosophy in environmental change and management.
Arens had previously singled out former Honors Program Director and current International Office Director Susan Hackemer for her mentorship throughout his studies at USD. “While there are many individuals who’ve helped me out through the years, I’d like to single out Susan Hackemer. I wouldn’t have received any of these awards without her guidance,” said Arens, after winning the Fulbright Open Award last spring.
Arens, an honors graduate who grew up on a farm near Yankton, South Dakota, previously received the Fulbright Summer Institute Award to study at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom in the summer of 2014 and Fulbright Open Study Research Award which allowed him to research renewable energy at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia in Spain this fall. He is also the winner of a 2016 Harry S. Truman Scholarship which provides up to $30,000 for graduate study. His research interests are renewable energy and environmental policy.
The Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship awards in the world. Rhodes Scholars are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead.
