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Story and photo by Logan Jackson
Less than a year after receiving the prestigious Truman Scholarship, Josh Donaldson is gearing up for another distinguished scholarship interview.
Donaldson was recently chosen as a Rhodes Scholarship finalist.
“I am honored to be a Rhodes finalist and incredibly excited to meet the other finalists in November,” Donaldson said. “I am grateful for the Office of Global and National Fellowships, my mentors on campus and my family back home for helping me get to this point. This application process challenged me more than any other. Through intense introspection and reflection on my experience, I grew into a more grounded leader and community member.”
The Rhodes Scholarship funds graduate study at the University of Oxford in England. Nearly 1,000 students from the United States apply for the Rhodes Scholarship and around 200 finalists from across the country are named. A total of 32 scholarships are awarded.
Donaldson was also recently selected as a Marshall Scholarship finalist. The Marshall Scholarship provides financial support for young Americans of high ability to study in the United Kingdom. Scholars study at the graduate level in any field of study.
Donaldson is a senior biological engineering major who is also pursuing the Honors Certificate at Mizzou. He was one of four Tigers who recently received the Remington R. Williams Award from the Board of Curators, which is the highest student leadership award bestowed on students across the UM System.
Along with the Truman Scholarship, Donaldson earned a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) last year, which allowed him to study Swahili in Tanzania. Donaldson worked with the Office of Global and National Fellowships on all his applications.
Donaldson has conducted undergraduate research at Mizzou and serves as the president of Mizzou chapter of Engineers Without Borders. A former executive director of Tiger Pantry, Donaldson is currently the Basic Needs Officer for the Missouri Students Association, where he coordinates the Midwest Food Pantry Alliance.
Donaldson will interview for the Rhodes Scholarship in Kansas City, Missouri, in mid-November.