Arfa Rehman, a student at New York University Abu Dhabi, was announced as the recipient of the Falcon Scholarship for 2015.
Now in its second year, the scholarship is granted to bachelor’s degree holders from universities in the UAE and administered by the Rhodes Trust for students attending higher-education at the University of Oxford.
Originally from Aligarh, India, Ms Rehman was raised in Jeddah. While at Oxford, she has plans to pursue a master’s of science in comparative social policy as well as an MBA.
Ms Rehman is currently completing a double major in Social Research and Public Policy, and Visual Arts at NYUAD, with a focus on the way design can be used to mobilise social change.
She was a co-founder of a student-run design collective and is on the leadership board of the Women’s Leadership Network. She also volunteers at the Somali Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi.
Finalists included candidates from the Petroleum Institute, the University of Wollongong in Dubai, Khalifa University of Science, Technology & Research, and the American University of Sharjah.
“I am delighted and honoured to be named this year’s Falcon Scholar,” Ms Rehman said. “I had a very memorable experience meeting the exceptional finalists and panellists during the selection process and am extremely grateful to the selection committee for giving me this incredible opportunity.
The Falcon Scholarship supports students who demonstrate a strong propensity to emerge as “leaders for the world’s future”.
“Once again they represented a wide cross section of the uniquely multinational vibrant society that characterises the UAE student population,” said Zaki Nusseibeh, a member of the selection committee and cultural advisor at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
“Arfa was exceptionally noted for her academic brilliance and for her intellectual integrity,” he said. “Her social engagement and seriousness of purpose were evident from her early school records, where, despite some environmental obstacles, she was able to do her best to help students around her.”
He added that Ms Rehman stood out by excelling in a highly competitive environment while continuing her social work in making fundamental changes to society.
“I am happy that the Falcon Rhodes Scholarship will now allow her to benefit from the unique intellectual and academic opportunities at Oxford University and to have the privilege of interacting with the wide international network of Rhodes Scholars who share her vision,” Mr Nusseibeh said.
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