Namibia’s Michael Petrus heading to Oxford
Michael Petrus from Windhoek has won the prestigious Rhodes scholarship for the Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and eSwatini (BLMNS) region for 2025.Michael will be heading to the University of Oxford in October 2025 to join a cohort of more than a hundred scholars from around the world to undertake fully funded post-graduate studies and become part of a strong community of young leaders determined to make a positive difference in the world.
"I am beyond honoured and humbled to have been selected as the Rhodes Scholar-elect for 2025," Michael said. "I am filled with a whirlwind of emotions: Disbelief, gratitude, shock and joy. It still feels surreal. Thank you! This is truly a dream come true and I am so excited for the journey ahead."
The Rhodes Scholarship is the world's preeminent and oldest graduate fellowship based at the University of Oxford since 1903. Over the past 121 years, nearly 1 000 graduates from Southern Africa have been awarded Rhodes scholarships.
Ten Rhodes scholarships are awarded annually in the BLMNS region.
Seven candidates from across the region were shortlisted for interviews on 29 and 30 September. The interviewees represented universities from across the globe with majors in a range of disciplines, from social work and economics to engineering and medicine.
Following a demanding interview process, Michael was the selection committee's unanimous choice for the award.
Michael is a final-year medical student at the University of Namibia, pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) with a keen interest in improving access to timely, safe and quality surgical care.