Seven California Students Win Rhodes Scholarships

A Caltech doctoral candidate in physics who entered college at age 12 and a USC student who supports herself working as a part-time waitress were among seven California students who were named Sunday as recipients of prestigious Rhodes Scholarships.

The scholarships, named after British diamond king Cecil Rhodes, provide for study at Oxford University in England.

A total of 22 men and 10 women were selected this year from two dozen American colleges and universities, led by five students from Harvard and four from Yale. Stanford University had two winners.

Among the California students was Gregory Peter Dubois, who entered New College of the University of South Florida at age 12. Now 23, he is studying for his doctorate at Caltech, has published numerous research papers in high-energy physics.

Also named was Holly Wyatt of San Clemente, a double major in political science and international relations with a minor in peace and conflict studies at USC. She has worked 20 hours a week as a waitress to help support her studies and also works with the Meals on Wheels organization.

Pamela Jane Hill, a religion major at Whittier College who received letters in four sports, was selected, as was Stephanie M. Fullerton from Occidental College.

Michael McCullough and John Eugene Crandon were chosen from Stanford University. Crandon, a biology and political science major, served as an intern in the offices of Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and the U.S. surgeon general, where he took part in an AIDS education project in Mexico.

A scholarship also went to Tomasz Malinowski, a political science graduate from UC Berkeley, who is working as an aide to Sen. Daniel Moynihan (D-N.Y.).

Rhodes Scholarships were established in 1902 and, although participation in athletics is one of the major considerations in the selection of winners, none of this year’s recipients were on varsity teams in major sports such as football or basketball.

Some notable past Rhodes scholars include Supreme Court Justice Byron White, Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Pat Haden and singer-actor Kris Kristofferson.