Ibrahim Alkaseer, a University of Richmond senior from Damascus, Syria, has been named a Rhodes Scholar.

The highly competitive Rhodes Scholarship fully funds postgraduate study for two or three years at the University of Oxford. Scholars are selected based on their exceptional academic achievement, leadership potential, and commitment to the common good. Alkaseer was selected through the international Rhodes Constituency in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine.

“Our students’ intellectual curiosity and their deep sense of responsibility to the world around them inspire me. We are immensely proud of Ibrahim,” said Joan Saab, executive vice president and provost.

During his time at Oxford, Alkaseer plans to pursue either a Master of Philosophy in politics with a focus on comparative government or a Master of Science in refugee and forced migration studies, which has also been a primary focus of his undergraduate academic research. He is double-majoring in political science and economics, with a minor in Latin American, Latino, & Iberian Studies. He is also a Davis United World College Scholar and Bonner Scholar.

“This award is deeply significant to me. It allows me to pair moral clarity with the practical tools needed to pursue meaningful social change in the field of forced migration,” said Alkaseer. “I want to understand what refugees need, and not what states assume they need. As someone who was internally displaced and has family members living in refuge, the recognition feels profoundly personal.”

The Rhodes scholarship is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious.

“Rhodes Scholars are selected for their potential to be leaders and change makers in the world,” said Dana Kuchem, director of the Office of Scholars & Fellowships. “We are excited to follow Ibrahim’s journey and see his impact unfold.”

Alkaseer said his rich academic career is due in large part to faculty mentors, including political science professors Jennifer Pribble, Dana El Kurd, and Sandra Joireman, and Kyle Redican, director of the Spatial Analysis Lab and teaching faculty in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability.

“Ibrahim is an intellectually curious student who is driven by a deep commitment to reducing inequality and advancing social justice,” said Pribble.

Continuing a legacy of excellence

Alkaseer is Richmond’s sixth Rhodes Scholar and first since 2006 when Scott Erwin earned the honor. Erwin, who graduated in 2005, double majored in political science and classic civilization.

“I'm so happy for Ibrahim. He has a wonderful few years ahead of him,” Erwin said. 

“The Rhodes Scholarship was a life-changing experience for me. Practically, I spent four years in Oxford and received a doctorate in theology. More importantly, I made deep life-long friendships, grew in my personal faith, and developed a love of open-water swimming,” Erwin said. “My wife and I were married in Oxford, lived in London for the following decade, and had two girls in the UK. I would not have predicted any of this when I initially received the Rhodes.”