Rhodes Scholars Elect 2012

Andrew Dean, Max Harris and Briar Thompson have been selected as Rhodes Scholars Elect for 2012 following a selection meeting held at Government House in Wellington on Thursday.

Tenable at Oxford University, Rhodes Scholarships constitute the pinnacle of achievement for university graduates wishing to pursue postgraduate study at one of the world’s leading universities.  In this country, the awards are administered by Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara.

Andrew Dean studied at the University of Canterbury where he completed a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours majoring in English Literature and Chinese.

At Oxford he intends to study for a Master of Studies in English followed by a full doctoral programme.  Andrew is particularly interested in the writings of authors Janet Frame, Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath.

Andrew’s other activities include an abiding interest in cricket, both as a player and as a coach, and being a Programme Coordinator for the Children’s Programme run by the Safer Community Council in his home town of Ashburton.

Max Harris studied at the University of Auckland where he completed Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws Honours degrees.

At Oxford he intends to study for a Bachelor of Civil Law. After gaining a grounding in legal theory from the BCL Max plans to pursue an MPhil on a topic that addresses the role of judges in modern democracies.

Max’s other activities include debating and he is a registered umpire, at level 2, for Wellington Cricket.

Briar Thompson has been studying at the University of Waikato where she completed a Bachelor of Communication Studies majoring in Public Relations.

At Oxford she intends to study for a one year MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies followed by a one year MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy.  She is particularly interested in migration, security and diplomacy issues relevant to the Pacific region.

Briar’s other activities have recently focussed on volunteer service for Refugee Services in Hamilton.

Photo: (L to R) Max Harris, Briar Thompson and Andrew Dean