Lopez earns Rhodes Scholarship

By Winston Yu

Noelle Lopez has become the first woman in Santa Clara's history to receive a Rhodes Scholarship.

The senior philosophy major and captain of Santa Clara's women's cross country and track team was one of only 32 recipients of the Rhodes Scholarship in the United States. This award is one of the most famous and prestigious collegiate awards ever given.

She is also the first student from Santa Clara to receive the award in 53 years.

As a Rhodes Scholar, Lopez will receive a full scholarship for graduate study at Oxford University in Oxford, England.

After finishing both her undergraduate and graduate studies, she said she would like to teach.

"Right now, my plans are in education," Lopez said. "I want to teach philosophy on the college level.'»¿"

Lopez said she has been deeply influenced by Santa Clara's Jesuit heritage, a philosophy which stresses the education of the whole person and the use of that education toward the betterment of the world.

Lopez cited this approach as one of the reasons she decided to apply for the scholarship.

She said that the Jesuit idea of educating the whole person was similar to the focus of the scholarship.

Many have expressed admiration for Lopez's many achievements, least of which was balancing the grueling timetable of an NCAA Division I athlete with an equally demanding academic career.

"She's a superstar," said Tom Service, Lopez's cross country and track coach. "One of the greatest I've ever coached as far as a genuine person."

Combine that with a strong commitment to community service and social justice, and that's one reason her teammate, senior Veronica Vazquez, expressed great respect for Lopez.

"Not only is she extremely smart, but she's also really modest," Vasquez said. "When you talk to her, you can see how smart she is, but she's also so much more."

Lopez's time in Santa Clara's philosophy department has left lasting impressions on her professors.

Professor William Prior called her an excellent student and praised her intelligence and discipline.

"Every contribution she makes is a real contribution," he said. "She sees possible solutions to philosophical problems more quickly than many other students do."

Lopez's academic advisor, Christopher Kulp, said he was impressed by her performance and abilities over the course of her career here at Santa Clara. He said she had a "deep perceptiveness about her" as well as significant "intellectual maturity and depth."

Kulp also noted the significance of Lopez's time spent as a runner.

"There's a real toughness about Noelle, in a good sense," he said. "She has the perseverance and drive to keep on going under difficult conditions, not only in athletic pursuits but also in intellectual pursuits."

Lopez's perseverance helped her in athletics as well as in the classroom.

"She's very dedicated and extremely focused," Service said. "Those two descriptions kind of describe a lot of our successful distance runners. Successful distance runners and successful students academically kind of go hand in hand."

Service said Lopez balances running and school well.

"Noelle isn't just a Rhodes Scholar. This is an extremely important part of her life and I continually try to stress that," he said. "She's a student-athlete, and she's very successful in both."

Lopez also echoed Service's comments, noting that one of the biggest highlights of her career here has been the recent cross-country season.

"This past cross-country season was really just incredible. I felt our team came together so well," she said. "I do consider it a part of my identity."

Service said during the time he has worked with her, Lopez has put her sport first.

"Her outstanding scholastic, athletic and personal achievements reflect the best of the Jesuit ideal," former President Paul Locatelli, S.J., noted about Lopez in a university press release. "She is also a stellar model of Santa Clara's vision of educating leaders of competence, conscience and compassion -- values that we strive to infuse in every student."

The Rhodes Scholarships were created in 1902 by the will of Cecil Rhodes, the British philanthropist and founder of the De Beers Group, a diamond company.

A recipient of the scholarship must exhibit "high academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership and physical vigor."

Each year, several hundred students apply for the award within the United States alone, with over 760 American students applying this year.

Previous Rhodes Scholars include Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, former President Bill Clinton and astronomer Edwin Hubble.

Alumnus Arthur Hull Hayes was the last Santa Clara student to receive the award in 1955.

Contact Winston Yu at (408) 554-4546 or wyu1@scu.edu.