Once in a generation: SJU alum wins Rhodes

Jervon Sands, a 2023 graduate of SJU, joined an elite list of scholars this past week when he was selected by the Commonwealth Caribbean as their Rhodes Scholar recipient.

Sands intends to pursue a Master of Science in environmental change and management. The announcement came during a whirlwind trip, which brought Sands from his volunteer position with the Benedictine Volunteer Corps in Puerto Rico to Barbados for a final round of interviews before the announcement. Finalists enjoyed dinner and conversation with the selection committee and Barbados President Sandra Mason as they awaited the news.

Sands is the fourth student in CSB+SJU history and the second Johnnie to be selected, the previous St. John’s graduate having been awarded the scholarship in 1969.

The scholarship, an educational grant to the University of Oxford, is highly competitive and boasts a storied history. Established in 1902, the scholarship is open to students from over 64 countries with an acceptance rate of 0.7%.

The scholarship first came to mind for Sands at the beginning of his senior year as he had discussions and interactions with previous Rhodes Scholar finalists and recipients, but it stayed at the back of his mind until late spring. Sands recalled a discussion between his supervisor Sydney Robison and a coworker where she encouraged them to apply for competitive scholarships such as this.

Robinson provided the final push for Sands to delve into the application process. For Robinson, this was a no brainer.

“[As an employee], he was an exemplary student that we knew would be able to pour into other students just as much as he’s been pouring into himself,” she said. “From fellowships to research to being able to represent his country so proudly, it’s been such a wonderful thing for all of us to watch him shine so brightly.”

Sands’ experiences and accolades as an undergraduate affirm his potential and determination. He majored in applied physics as an undergraduate, on the trajectory to civil environmental engineering. His first-year seminar class, which focused on sustainability, helped to cement his interest in the environment and climate justice. Sands interned at the climate change charity in Ashden during his time abroad in London and attended COP27 in Egypt the following year. His research following the conference inspired his current interest now.

“It made me realize that I wanted to learn more about the economic side and policy side of the whole environmental scene because there is a lot of work that needs to be done considering those different things. I can’t do the work I want to do if I don’t have access to the information,” Sands said. “There are a lot of gaps between government, leadership, financial organizations, front line actors and grassroots organizations. I want to be the person connecting those different sides of the spectrum.”

Still, Sands had to go through the application process before recognizing this goal. The application requires six references, an academic statement, personal statement and a round of interviews. The personal statement provided a challenge for Sands — he worked at writing and editing it throughout the summer right up until the deadline. Poetry is important to Sands and was featured prominently in his statement.

“I wrestled with whether or not to include my poetry; it’s a representation of myself, but will that discredit me from this really technical academic thing?” he said. “Ultimately, I decided, ‘if they don’t want my poetry, then they don’t want me.’ I think in the end it was a good idea.”

After being selected as one of 10 finalists from the Commonwealth Caribbean, Sands flew to Barbados for an interview. The experience was nerve wracking and intense, and Sands was the ninth finalist to go for his interview. However, he was prepared, both from talking to previous finalists that had finished their interview as well as practicing a mock interview with the Undergraduate Research team. Not only did he walk away a Rhodes Scholar, but also part of an inside joke with the president of Barbados, a claim few others can make.

“In the moment that they called my name, it was very shocking — a lot of different thoughts and emotions going on. Whether or not I got the Rhodes I would’ve found a way to Oxford, but I am very grateful and relieved that I have the means. Anywhere along the process I could’ve given up, and I am grateful that I trusted myself and I didn’t give up on that.”

In lieu of his success and the spate of interviews that followed, Sands has been asked what advice he would give to students.

“Aim to be interdisciplinary. Take advantage of your academic experience and put it into everything you’re doing. My physics background, my love for poetry, my passion for environmental justice — in any action I took, whether academic or otherwise, I was bringing all of that with me,” Sands said. “I think it’s really important to have that sort of mindset to use that interdisciplinary approach to tackle all the problems you might face. You don’t need to separate who you are from the work that you’re doing.”