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Chris Joseph

Chris Joseph, a 2004 graduate of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School and a starter on the offensive line for UCLA’s football team from 2005 to 2007, has been selected as one of 32 Rhodes Scholars for 2009.

The Solvang resident, who majored in geography with a focus on the causes of deforestation, graduated from UCLA in June, and will now do graduate work in geography at Oxford University in England.

The selection process boiled down to 16 candidates being interviewed Nov. 21-22 in San Francisco with two winners announced Saturday night.

“My interview was at 8:45 Saturday morning, so I really didn’t have time to worry about it,” Joseph told UCLA officials. ... “We all had to be back at 4:30 p.m. when the first round of interviews was over ...

“We sat in that room until 9:30 p.m., when the committee members came into the room. We all stood in a circle and the committee members thanked us for our participation, and then announced the two recipients. The first was Scott Hugo, who also goes to UCLA. Then they announced my name. I was stunned. It took about 10-15 seconds for me to realize they had said my name.”

Joseph started for two seasons at offensive guard before moving to center for his senior season in 2007, UCLA officials said.

A two-time first-team Academic All-American, he graduated in June with a 3.95 grade-point average. He majored in geography with a focus on the complex social and scientific causes of deforestation. At Oxford, he plans to pursue a master’s of philosophy degree in geography.

At Santa Ynez high, Joseph earned three varsity letters as an offensive tackle and defensive end for the Pirates, and was selected to play in the North-South All-Star game.

He also was a Los Angeles Times All-Ventura/North Coast pick on defense; selected offensive lineman of the year and All-Los Padres League; and named first-team all-county and all-area offensive lineman.

As a high school senior, Joseph was a captain of both the football and track teams, where he competed in shot put and discus.

Three other students from California universities were also selected for the prestigious scholarships: Hugo, also of UCLA and a starter on the university’s rugby team; Santa Clara University’s Noelle R. Lopez; and Sarah Kleinman, a graduate student at Stanford University.

They were among 32 men and women across the United States who won the scholarships, the oldest of the international study awards available to American students.

Rhodes Scholarships were created in 1902 by the will of British philanthropist Cecil Rhodes. Winners are selected on the basis of high academic achievement, personal integrity, leadership potential and physical vigor, among other attributes.

The American students will join an international group of scholars selected from 13 other jurisdictions around the world. Approximately 80 scholars are selected each year.

The value of the Rhodes Scholarship varies depending on the field of study. The total value averages about $50,000 per year.


from the SYVNews..

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