Calgary, Canada – Make that two men from the world’s swimming community who have now been named as 2015 Rhodes Scholars, as Canadian swimmer, Bogdan Knezevic, has just been bestowed the honor. Knezevic joins already-announced former University of Michigan men’s swim team captain, David Moore, on the list of Rhodes Scholars-elect for next year.
Originally from Serbia, Knezevic competes for the University of Calgary varsity swim team, as he pursues his studies in neuroscience. According to Calgary Swimming, Knezevic has “excelled in athletics and academics, consistently maintaining a 4.0 GPA, earning him a place on the Dean’s List.” He has also been recently named Academic All-America of the Year by Capital One, as well as Academic All-Canadian Scholar athlete for his in-pool achievements.
In his own words, Knezevic indicates to the University of Calgary site, “This is an exciting piece of news. I’m thrilled to be able to pursue my dream of studying medical sciences — in a global context — at Oxford. I’m very thankful for my supportive family and faculty who encouraged me to apply.” Further, he stated, “my swimming is very important to me and I plan to continue my swimming while at Oxford. I understand there’s a great coach there who can work with me as I train for the 2016 Olympics,” says Knezevic.
According to the Rhodes Scholar Trust site, a total of 73 international scholars have been chosen from around the world, including Australia, Bermuda, Canada, the nations of the Commonwealth Caribbean, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Southern Africa (South Africa, plus Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland), Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Applicants are “chosen on the basis of the criteria set down in the Will of Cecil Rhodes”, which includes such attributes as academic excellence, promise of leadership, and commitment to service.