Army Track & Field Captain Tyrese Bender receives Rhodes Scholarship
WASHINGTON, DC - Elliot F. Gerson, American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, announced that Army West Point track & field captain Tyrese Bender has been named one of 32 Americans chosen as Rhodes Scholars representing the United States.
Bender and fellow cadet Evan Walker become the 95th and 96th West Point cadets to be named Rhodes Scholars. This marks the first time since 2014 that two members of the Corps of Cadets received the honor. Bender becomes the first Army West Point cadet athlete to be recognized since Elizabeth Betterbed of the Army women's soccer team who earned the scholarship in 2010.
"We are extremely proud of Tyrese for all of his accomplishments and this achievement is right there at the top of the list," Army Director of cross country and track & field Mike Smith said. "He is one of those kids that is as solid as the granite that forms the foundation of much of this institution. He has been a team captain now for two years and is the type of leader that attracts followers through his example and his quiet confidence.
"Rhodes Scholarships provide all expenses for two or three years of study at the University of Oxford in England—ranked the #1 university in the world in some global rankings—and may allow funding in some instances for four years. Mr. Gerson called the Rhodes Scholarships, "the oldest and best-known award for international study, and arguably the most famous academic award available to American college graduates." The Scholarships were created in 1902 by the Will of Cecil Rhodes and are provided in partnership with the Second Century Founders, John McCall MacBain O.C. and The Atlantic Philanthropies, as well as many other generous benefactors. The first class of American Rhodes Scholars entered Oxford in 1904; those elected today will enter Oxford in October 2021.
To become one of the lucky 32 scholars selected nationwide each December, candidates must be nominated by their university, approved by their state Rhodes committee, pass muster at a cocktail party, interview on the state level and, finally, survive a second cocktail party and interview on the regional level. This means that, when considering the original pool of over 2,900 applicants, the Rhodes Scholarship has a selection rate of around 1 percent for applicants from the United States. And even when considering only candidates who were endorsed by their college, just 3.3 percent ultimately received a scholarship.
"Tyrese's leadership position as the deputy brigade commander and number two in the corps of cadets is a reflection of the respect he has earned from the academy leadership and his peers in the corps," Smith said. "As an athlete, he has elevated himself to an elite level as an Army-Navy champion and an NCAA regional qualifier. He exemplifies everything that the academy stands for and now he is a Rhodes Scholar. We are so proud of him for what he has achieved, for the mark he has made in our program, and most of all for who he is every day when he comes down to practice."
Francis R. Johnson was the first West Point cadet to be named a Rhodes Scholar in 1923. In 1959, West Point won six Rhodes scholarships and the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Pete Dawkins, was among this distinguished group.