Image from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Rotimi Kukoyi is a 2022 graduate of Hoover High School and senior at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Rotimi Kukoyi, a 2022 graduate of Hoover High School and senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, last week was one of 32 Americans named a 2026 Rhodes Scholar.
The prestigious award provides full financial support for two to three years of study at Oxford University in England and may extend to a fourth year, depending on the degree program. Kukoyi plans to begin his studies at Oxford in October 2026.
The Scholars have achieved exceptional academic records across the humanities, social sciences, and physical and life sciences. They also demonstrate remarkable leadership, public service, and creativity, according to a press release from the Rhodes Trust.
“Academic excellence is essential, but it is only the beginning,” said Dr. Ramona Doyle, the American secretary of the Rhodes Trust. “A Rhodes Scholar should demonstrate ambition for social impact, strong leadership, empathy for others and an acute awareness of inequities. The Trust seeks Scholars of exceptional character who are committed to making a profound difference in the world. A Rhodes Scholar should show great promise of leadership and character, as well as an exceptionally strong commitment to service.”
Kukoyi is majoring in health policy and management at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As an intern in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, he developed policies to advance value-based care for residents across the state, according to a bio provided by the Rhodes Trust. As a summer intern in Nigeria, he designed and built digital tools to support the implementation of better health care decision-making.
Kukoyi also has worked with the UNC Student Health Action Coalition to help provide free health services to uninsured and underinsured residents. He was elected senior class president and is a Truman Scholar. He also recently completed his first marathon.
At Oxford, Kukoyi plans to pursue a master’s degree in health improvement and evaluation and a master’s degree in evidence-based social intervention and policy evaluation.
“I am honored to have been selected as UNC’s latest Rhodes Scholar,” Kukoyi said in a post on his Facebook page. “I am grateful to those who have supported my journey and looking forward to spending the next two years at Oxford University in community and shared mission with student-leaders representing over 60 different countries. I extend my warmest congratulations to all the other finalists and Scholars. I am profoundly grateful, inspired and ready for the work ahead.”
This year’s American class of Rhodes Scholars was selected by 16 independent U.S. selection committees, which met simultaneously across the country on Nov. 15 to interview 238 finalists. Nearly 2,800 students began the application process, and 965 candidates received formal endorsements from their colleges and universities.
The endorsed applicants represented more than 264 different institutions. The 32 students selected as 2026 U.S. Rhodes Scholars represent 22 colleges and universities.
Among this year’s Scholars are three student body presidents, two local public officials, an aspiring physician who helped build an eye bank in Ukraine, a Paralympic athlete who is also a bioengineer and advocate for athletes with disabilities , an aeronautical engineer fluent in four languages who plays piano, guitar and drums, and an international affairs scholar who paints portraits and competes in triathlons.
The cohort will pursue graduate studies across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The 32 Rhodes Scholars selected from the United States will join Scholars chosen from 25 other Rhodes jurisdictions worldwide, along with two Global Rhodes Scholars, forming an international cohort of just more than 100 Scholars.
With this year’s winners, 3,706 Americans have received Rhodes Scholarships since the first U.S. class in 1904, representing 329 colleges and universities. Since women became eligible in 1976, 689 American women have received the award. More than 2,100 American Rhodes Scholars are living today in communities across the United States and around the world.
The Rhodes Scholarship was established in 1902 through the will of Cecil Rhodes and is funded in partnership with the Second Century Founders, John McCall MacBain O.C., The Atlantic Philanthropies, and many other benefactors.
U.S. applicants may apply either through their state of legal residence or the state where they have studied for at least two years. Kukoyi was the only winner from Alabama this year.
The estimated annual value of a Rhodes Scholarship is about $75,000, with total support of up to $250,000, depending on program length and field of study. The award covers all Oxford University fees, a living stipend, travel to and from Oxford, and research, conference or additional academic support where applicable.
