People walk around Oxford University’s campus on Sept. 3, 2017, in Oxford, England.
Rice University senior Jae Kim was named a Rhodes scholar on Sunday, the only Texas student to receive the prestigious award this year.
Kim is Rice’s 13th Rhodes scholar overall but the school’s first since 2015, according to the institution. As one of the scholarship’s 32 American recipients, he will join students from around the world at Oxford University next October.
"I was both surprised and moved," Kim said in a statement. "This honor is incredibly humbling and affirms the hard work I’ve put in throughout my time at Rice. Receiving this scholarship is a significant step toward building a career where I can make a meaningful impact on a critical issue."
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Over two years, Kim will pursue dual master of science degrees at Oxford, one in environmental change and management and a second in evidence-based social intervention and policy evaluation. Afterward, he plans to become a physician advocate shaping environmental policy, according to a Rice University press release.
Congratulations to Rice senior Jae Kim ’25 on being named a Rhodes Scholar! As Rice’s 13th Rhodes Scholar and the only recipient from a Texas university this year, Kim will head to the University of Oxford next fall. Well done, Jae!🎉https://t.co/AMPtfAHKJd pic.twitter.com/s1jsufOmc6
Kim, who serves as the Rice Student Association president, has worked in several environmentally-focused spaces while in college. As founder of Hermes Free Telehealth, he operates a nonprofit providing free telehealth services to victims of natural disasters. Kim also interned in 2023 at the Harris County Office of Sustainability and this summer at the Urban Institute think-tank.
He will graduate next spring with a degree in integrative biology and a minor in environmental studies. Kim was born in Korea and grew up in New York City.
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"Climate change is the defining issue of our time as it threatens the future of life itself on Earth,” he said. “During my time at Rice, I realized I want to dedicate my career to advocating for the people, animals and ecosystems most impacted — advancing the health of our societies and the health of our planet hand in hand."
The Rhodes scholarship is known as one of the most coveted in the world, reserved for students who display academic excellence as well as desire to create social change. The award, established in 1902, is currently valued at about $75,000 per year for costs including university fees, a stipend and transportation.
The application process is extensive, with almost 3,000 U.S. students applying this year and 238 finalists interviewed.
Samantha Ketterer is a Houston Chronicle reporter covering higher education. She can be reached at samantha.ketterer@houstonchronicle.com.
Since joining the staff in 2018, Samantha has also covered criminal justice and the Harris County courthouse. She is a former reporting fellow for the Dallas Morning News’ state bureau and a former city hall reporter for The Galveston County Daily News.
Samantha, who is from Houston’s suburbs, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and is a proud alumna of The Daily Texan.
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