Liam Elkind ’22
Liam Elkind, a Yale College senior majoring in global affairs as well as ethics, politics, and economics, has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, one of four recipients from Yale this year.
In his senior thesis, Elkind is exploring models of campaign finance reform. He will continue to build on that work at Oxford University, where he intends to earn a Master of Philosophy degree in politics (comparative government).
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Elkind co-founded Invisible Hands, a national nonprofit with more than 15,000 volunteers that delivers groceries and prescriptions to at-risk community members. Elkind, who now serves as the organization’s CEO, has received many awards and much national recognition for this work. He is also completing a novel and has been an actor and singer in many Yale theatrical and musical productions.
One of the world’s oldest and most prestigious academic awards for graduate study, Rhodes Scholarships provide all expenses for two to three years of study at Oxford.
Rhodes Scholars are chosen for academic excellence, a commitment to making a positive difference in the world, their concern for the welfare of others, a consciousness of inequities, and for their promise of leadership. For the second year in a row, this year’s scholars were chosen in an entirely virtual process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 2,300 students — each of whom was endorsed by their colleges or universities — applied for the highly competitive scholarships.
The 43 American and Canadian recipients will join an international group of scholars chosen from more than 60 countries. Over 100 scholars will be selected worldwide.
“They are inspiring young leaders already, and we are confident that their contributions to public welfare nationally and globally will expand exponentially over the course of their careers in varied sectors and disciplines,” Elliot F. Gerson, the American secretary of the Rhodes Trust, said of the 32 American winners.