2014 Rhodes Scholar: Aravind Ganesh, Faculty of Medicine

Exemplary student, community leader and champion of health-care reform, Aravind Ganesh, a neurology resident-physician from the University of Calgary, has been awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship for 2014.  

Considered one of the most prestigious international postgraduate awards available, the Rhodes Scholarship recognizes students who exude academic achievement and strength of character. 

A class of 83 students worldwide is selected each year, while only three awards are allotted to the western region of Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta).

Ganesh was admitted early into the medical program after only two years in his bachelor’s degree program. Inspired by his grandfather’s struggles with dementia, this experience motivated him to want to master debilitating diseases of the human brain. He has already published six peer-reviewed articles, and has presented at many conferences and symposiums.

Jessica Cohen, co-ordinator of the Scholars Academy, had the opportunity to work closely with Ganesh.

“He exemplifies the young and innovative spirit of our students and demonstrates strong leadership both academically and in the local community.”

For Ganesh, getting involved in the community is not an option — it’s a “lifelong lesson” he learned as a young immigrant to Canada.

“It’s easy to feel like an outsider when you move to a different country. But when you take an active role — when you get involved — you quickly develop a sense of belonging,” said Ganesh, who received the President’s’ Award for Excellence in Student Leadership in 2012.

Ganesh hopes to obtain a graduate degree in public health, focusing on stroke and related complications like dementia. He also looks forward to building bonds with the Rhodes and Oxford Scholarly communities and within the United Kingdom’s National Health Service.

The scholarship includes tuition, college fees, and a stipend covering living expenses for two to three years of study at the University of Oxford, in Oxford, England. Ganesh and Yan Yu (also from the Faculty of Medicine) are the 12th and 13th University of Calgary recipients of the Rhodes Scholarship since 1969.

Recently the University of Calgary has improved support for its students to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship through the availability of institutional resource personnel and individual application reviews.