Fresno State Athletics
Photo by: Keith Kountz
Richman honored as Rhodes Scholarship finalist
1/9/2020 11:20:00 AM | Women's Golf
FRESNO, Calif. - In late November, senior golfer Danielle Richman became the first-ever Rhodes Scholarship finalist to come out of Fresno State. The Manhattan Beach, Calif. native is just the third to represent a California State University school in the history of the scholarship that has been around since 1902. The Rhodes Scholarship is considered one of the most elite and prestigious honors in higher education, and is the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship awards in the world.
"It was such an honor to be considered, I was elated," said Richman on getting to go through the application process and become a finalist. "It was incredible, but tough."
After completing her initial application and having it endorsed by Fresno State, Richman got the call that she was selected as one of 12 southern California finalists.
Each year, the Rhodes Scholarship awards 32 United States students a full-ride scholarship to study at the University of Oxford. The United States is broken up into 16 districts, and each district is awarded two scholarships. The state of California is broken up into two districts in itself - northern California and southern California. Applicants may apply to a district depending on their college, or their hometown.
Applicants must go through an extensive application process and are considered top-level to make it as a finalist. The Rhodes committee searches for people who not only have high academic standing, but are also well-rounded individuals who have a commitment to other individuals and the common good, as well as have the potential to possess high leadership qualities in their field.
"Danielle's selection and opportunity to present herself as a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship is a testament to her passion for learning and her overwhelming desire to be a catalyst for change in the world," said women's golf head coach Emily Loftin. "I am so proud that Danielle was able to experience this elite process and also be recognized as one of the country's finest young leaders. Inside our program, we know the outstanding character and drive that Danielle exudes each day, but the fact that she was chosen first hand from such a world renowned group is a testament of her pursuit of excellence in life."
Once announced as a finalist, Richman headed to Los Angeles to meet the 11 other finalists from her district as well as a panel of previous Rhodes Scholars who would be conducting the second half of the selection process, which was a four-hour reception, followed by individual panel interviews.
"I could tell that I came from a different background than a lot of the people there," said Richman on the other 11 finalists. "How I can best explain it, is they were walking in like the Rhodes Scholarship was theirs to lose - like they earned it and it was theirs already and they just had to go ahead and do what they do. I never had that mentality. I was able to go down there and represent Fresno State for the first time in the Rhodes Scholarship history. Fresno State has never had that opportunity and I was going represent myself and the school to the best of my ability."
Richman was one of three finalists to get called back for a second interview, but the scholarship was awarded to the other two individuals who were requested for follow-up interviews.
Devastated after learning the news, Richman was asked by two of the panel members to stay back after the group left.
"They were arguing for me to get the scholarship, and other people were arguing for other people to get the scholarship and it was all so close," said Richman. "It is just hard to compare the things that we each do because they are all so different."
Richman, a history and political science double major at Fresno State, was third in line behind Leanne K.M. Ho who majors in English Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Ho's academic research focuses on the impact of storytelling on social distancing from the LGBTQ community. The other southern California recipient was Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Francisca Vasconcelos who majors in physics, electrical engineering and computer sciences. Her research has improved computers' visions by mimicking the human visual system through pre-processing visual inputs.
Richman was encouraged to reapply next year by some of the panel members. Students can apply up to five years after graduation, or until they turn 25-years-old.
"I could reapply next year, and not many people do that because the process is so tough, but I think that I will reapply through Fresno State because being a finalist was amazing. Being one of the finalists, and then being included in the top three, it was so close. If I would have known more about the process, I think I would have been more prepared for it."
With the hopes of using this scholarship to pursue a masters of philosophy in international relations at Oxford, Richman will use this experience to fuel her fire. She also hopes to bring awareness of the Rhodes Scholarship to Fresno State and its student body.
"Fresno State is a great university and we should be on the international stage. That is what I want to use this opportunity to do."
The senior golfer earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in the fall and has applied for other scholarships, and doesn't plan to stop putting herself out there.
"I have taken it all as a positive. It is bittersweet being so close, but I want more Fresno State students to apply. I think a lot of people would love it. It is a full-ride scholarship to Oxford. It is a shame that more Fresno State students do not know about it and I hope this experience helps give others opportunities."
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateWG
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Facebook: Fresno State Women's Golf Team
"It was such an honor to be considered, I was elated," said Richman on getting to go through the application process and become a finalist. "It was incredible, but tough."
After completing her initial application and having it endorsed by Fresno State, Richman got the call that she was selected as one of 12 southern California finalists.
Each year, the Rhodes Scholarship awards 32 United States students a full-ride scholarship to study at the University of Oxford. The United States is broken up into 16 districts, and each district is awarded two scholarships. The state of California is broken up into two districts in itself - northern California and southern California. Applicants may apply to a district depending on their college, or their hometown.
Applicants must go through an extensive application process and are considered top-level to make it as a finalist. The Rhodes committee searches for people who not only have high academic standing, but are also well-rounded individuals who have a commitment to other individuals and the common good, as well as have the potential to possess high leadership qualities in their field.
"Danielle's selection and opportunity to present herself as a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship is a testament to her passion for learning and her overwhelming desire to be a catalyst for change in the world," said women's golf head coach Emily Loftin. "I am so proud that Danielle was able to experience this elite process and also be recognized as one of the country's finest young leaders. Inside our program, we know the outstanding character and drive that Danielle exudes each day, but the fact that she was chosen first hand from such a world renowned group is a testament of her pursuit of excellence in life."
Once announced as a finalist, Richman headed to Los Angeles to meet the 11 other finalists from her district as well as a panel of previous Rhodes Scholars who would be conducting the second half of the selection process, which was a four-hour reception, followed by individual panel interviews.
"I could tell that I came from a different background than a lot of the people there," said Richman on the other 11 finalists. "How I can best explain it, is they were walking in like the Rhodes Scholarship was theirs to lose - like they earned it and it was theirs already and they just had to go ahead and do what they do. I never had that mentality. I was able to go down there and represent Fresno State for the first time in the Rhodes Scholarship history. Fresno State has never had that opportunity and I was going represent myself and the school to the best of my ability."
Richman was one of three finalists to get called back for a second interview, but the scholarship was awarded to the other two individuals who were requested for follow-up interviews.
Devastated after learning the news, Richman was asked by two of the panel members to stay back after the group left.
"They were arguing for me to get the scholarship, and other people were arguing for other people to get the scholarship and it was all so close," said Richman. "It is just hard to compare the things that we each do because they are all so different."
Richman, a history and political science double major at Fresno State, was third in line behind Leanne K.M. Ho who majors in English Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Ho's academic research focuses on the impact of storytelling on social distancing from the LGBTQ community. The other southern California recipient was Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Francisca Vasconcelos who majors in physics, electrical engineering and computer sciences. Her research has improved computers' visions by mimicking the human visual system through pre-processing visual inputs.
Richman was encouraged to reapply next year by some of the panel members. Students can apply up to five years after graduation, or until they turn 25-years-old.
"I could reapply next year, and not many people do that because the process is so tough, but I think that I will reapply through Fresno State because being a finalist was amazing. Being one of the finalists, and then being included in the top three, it was so close. If I would have known more about the process, I think I would have been more prepared for it."
With the hopes of using this scholarship to pursue a masters of philosophy in international relations at Oxford, Richman will use this experience to fuel her fire. She also hopes to bring awareness of the Rhodes Scholarship to Fresno State and its student body.
"Fresno State is a great university and we should be on the international stage. That is what I want to use this opportunity to do."
The senior golfer earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in the fall and has applied for other scholarships, and doesn't plan to stop putting herself out there.
"I have taken it all as a positive. It is bittersweet being so close, but I want more Fresno State students to apply. I think a lot of people would love it. It is a full-ride scholarship to Oxford. It is a shame that more Fresno State students do not know about it and I hope this experience helps give others opportunities."
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateWG
Instagram: fresnostatewgolf
Facebook: Fresno State Women's Golf Team
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