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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 23 noveMber 2020
U.S. Rhodes Scholars chosen virtually for the 1st time

By STEPHEN GROVES versity, was the first Rhodes
Associated Press Scholar from her univer-
The U.S. Rhodes Scholars for sity in 68 years. She said
2021 were elected virtually she wasn't sure "if I would
this year for the first time as fit what a Rhodes Scholar
the coronavirus pandemic looks like" and felt some ap-
swept across the globe, prehension about applying
though that didn't extin- from a public university in a
guish enthusiasm among mostly rural area.
the 32 students who won But she focused her appli-
scholarships to Oxford Uni- cation on what she called
versity. "a strong moral sense of
The Rhodes Trust an- character" and highlighted
nounced the winners early the leadership she had tak-
Sunday, which include 22 en on campus, including
students of color. Ten are navigating the coronavirus
Black, which ties the record pandemic.
for the most Black students When the selection com-
elected in a single year. mittee named her one of
Shera Avi-Yonah, a 22-year- the scholarship recipients
old Harvard University stu- on a Zoom meeting, she
dent, said she found out said, "I was so surprised, I
about her win Saturday In this Nov. 2019 photo provided by Mila Dorji, Rhodes Scholar Brian Reyes poses for a photo on started crying. I would have
night while she was sitting Yale’s campus in New Haven, Conn. never expected something
in her parents' basement in Associated Press like this."
Lincoln, Massachusetts. The winners include 17
"A wave of gratitude of the U.S. and United King- Asma Rahimyar, a 20-year- hopes to earn two master's women, 14 men and one
washed over me," Avi-Yo- dom. She is a reporter at old senior at Southern Con- degrees, one in forced mi- nonbinary person.
nah said, adding that she the Harvard Crimson, the necticut State University, is gration and refugee stud- Scholarship-winners ex-
ran upstairs to tell her par- campus newspaper, and the first-ever Rhodes win- ies and one in global gov- pressed incredulity at hear-
ents. "I'm going to have a has been the subject of ner from that institution. ernance and diplomacy, ing they would be Rhodes
very happy Thanksgiving." several lawsuits for various The University of California, with an eye toward a ca- Scholars, a distinction that
The winners were chosen stories -- prompting her in- Santa Cruz was also repre- reer in international human has launched the careers
from a pool of more than terest in the limits of press sented on the list of Rhodes rights law. of famous politicians, aca-
2,300 applicants — of which freedom. Scholars for the first time. Rahimyar said she was still demics, scientists and jour-
953 were endorsed by 288 Sixteen committees from The daughter of parents marveling at having won nalists.
different colleges and uni- the Rhodes Trust invited the who emigrated from Af- the scholarship 24 hours af- "I think I'm still in shock," said
versities to study at Oxford strongest applicants to in- ghanistan, Rahimyar was ter getting the call. "It's all Brian Reyes, 21, of the Bronx.
University in England. terview virtually. The com- raised in Trumbull, Con- still very new and very sur- "It's nice to actually see my
Avi-Yonah is planning to mittees then made their se- necticut and grew up lis- real to me," she said. name on the Rhodes web-
study history at Oxford, lection of two students from tening to her parents' sto- Hattie Seten, a senior at site and have it confirmed
comparing the libel laws each district. ries of war-torn Kabul. She South Dakota State Uni- that it's real."q

Man arrested in deadly attack at Nebraska Sonic restaurant

of a possible bomb inside a to a possible shooting, he allegedly using someone
moving truck in the parking said. Officers who arrived else's Sonic app account to
lot arrived to find the vehi- found the moving truck buy a total of $57 worth of
cle on fire. burning and four people hamburgers and corn dogs
Roberto Carlos Silva Jr., of who had been shot. Two in four separate purchases
Omaha, was booked into were sent to the University at that location, the World-
Sarpy County jail early Sun- of Nebraska Medical Cen- Herald reported. Silva was
day on suspicion of first- ter for treatment and the released from jail on Thurs-
degree murder and first- other two were declared day after posting 10% of
degree arson in Saturday dead at the scene, Jashin- his $1,500 bail. At the time
night's attack at a Sonic ske said. The victims' names of that arrest, police seized
Drive-in restaurant in Bel- were withheld so that their three firearms from Silva,
levue, the Omaha World- families could be told first. Jashinske said Sunday.
Herald reported. Silva was Video tweeted by Omaha Sonic Drive-in, which is
being held without bond TV station KETV showed based in Oklahoma City,
Sunday before making his crews battling the truck fire issued a statement Sunday
initial court appearance. late Saturday. The Omaha saying the company was
In a news release early Sun- Police Department's bomb "stunned and saddened
This undated photo provided by the Sarpy County Jail shows
Roberto Carlos Silva, of Omaha, who was arrested in connec- day, Lt. Andy Jashinske said squad was at the scene by what occurred at the
tion to an attack at a Nebraska fast food restaurant in which two Bellevue police received a early Sunday to check on Bellevue, Nebraska, Sonic
people were shot and killed and two were wounded. call at 9:23 p.m. Saturday a "device," as a precaution Saturday night. Our heart-
about a possible bomb in to make sure the area was felt condolences go out to
BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — Au- rant in which two people a U-Haul truck parked out- safe, Jashinske said. the franchise owner and
thorities arrested a 23-year- were shot and killed, two side of the restaurant in the The attack came days af- the families and friends
old man in an attack at a were wounded and offi- Omaha suburb. A minute ter Silva was arrested out- impacted by this horrific
Nebraska fast food restau- cers responding to a report later, the call was updated side of the restaurant after tragedy."q