Pearson pair earn an elite academic opportunity
Julie Beaulieu and Alice Ferguson-O’Brien, both PC47 alumni, are living in rarified air having added “Rhodes Scholar” to their impressive resumes.
Alice Ferguson-O’Brien
“Many of the qualities that helped me receive the Rhodes Scholarship were fostered at Pearson,” says Ferguson-O’Brien. “The education I received from both my peers and my teachers taught me how to approach the world with curiosity, empathy, and care, and it continues to shape how I learn, work, and show up in the world.”
The Rhodes mission is to bring together and develop exceptional people from all over the world, and in all fields of study, who are impatient with the way things are and have the courage to act. A near mirror image of the UWC ideals. Beaulieu and Ferguson-O’Brien are the 16th and 17th Pearson graduates to be selected for the scholarship and have grand plans for the opportunity.
Julie Beaulieu
“The Rhodes Scholarship feels like a chance to turn issues I care about, especially food security and sustainability, into real impact,” says Beaulieu who grew up in rural Quebec. “To me, its people, dignity, and families like mine working every day to feed the world,” adds Beaulieu. “In the future, I want to work in development policy specialized in food security, advising in the design of policies that have an impact on sustainable agricultural production and food insecurity in conflict zones. Being a Rhodes Scholar means I get to take that dream seriously. It gives me tools, community, and confidence, and with the Rhodes and UWC networks behind me, I feel like I’m stepping into a future where I can help build the kind of world where no child ever has to go hungry again.”
Ferguson-O’Brien plans to use her time at Oxford studying health and social policy, with a particular interest in the ethical use of artificial intelligence in healthcare and education systems. She credits her time at Pearson for her post-secondary academic and career interests.
“I was incredibly lucky to be part of a community where teachers, administrators, and mentors believed in me and encouraged me to take risks,” says Ferguson-O’Brien. “Their support gave me the practical skills and the confidence to pursue paths I never would have imagined when I graduated. Eventually, I hope to return to Newfoundland and Labrador to serve the community where I grew up.”
Rhodes scholarships are fully funded, two-to-three-year postgraduate awards for study at the University of Oxford. While they are open to students worldwide, only about 100 are granted every year.
Pearson Rhodes Scholar Recipients
- Jeffrey P. Telgarsky (PC4)
- Craig M. Scott (PC6)
- Alison L. Van Rooy (PC10)
- Barbara Crostini (PC12)
- Natasha A. Affolder (PC15)
- Brett E. House (PC15)
- Ruanne V. Barnabas (PC16)
- Azure T. Makadzange (PC19)
- Anamitra Deb (PC22)
- Kimberley L. Brownlee (PC22)
- Philip J. Furniss (PC25)
- Kelly E. O’Connor (PC32)
- Joseph A. Singh (PC35)
- Linda Worden (PC40)
- Tess Casher (PC44)
- Julie Beaulieu (PC47)
- Alice Ferguson-O’Brien (PC47)