Rodney Wells, a senior at Florida State University who aspires to become a civil rights attorney, has earned the prestigious accomplishment of being named a Rhodes Scholar finalist.
He interviewed Nov. 16 in Birmingham, Alabama, for the world’s oldest and most celebrated international fellowship award after a rigorous, monthslong application process.
While he was not one of the 32 U.S. college students selected for the Rhodes Scholarship this year, Wells said his selection as a finalist is a testament to the supportive environment at FSU that fosters academic excellence and personal growth.
“This recognition is not an individual achievement but a reflection of the communities that have shaped me and the collective urgency of our work,” Wells said. “From Mississippi to Alabama, my hometown of Jacksonville, and here in Tallahassee, being named a finalist is more than a personal honor — it underscores the critical need to protect our democracy and cultivate leaders who are attorneys, advocates and voices for justice. This moment affirms that our work is collective and deeply urgent. I am humbled to be part of that shared mission.”
This is the second consecutive year that an FSU student has been selected as a Rhodes Scholar finalist.
“Florida State students embody the strong traits that the Rhodes Scholarship seeks in its scholars,” said Craig Filar, associate dean for Honors, Scholars, and Fellows. “To have our students recognized by this world-renowned program is a testament to our university and to the amazing and innovative work our students conduct. Rodney joins an illustrious roster of FSU students who have been recognized as a Rhodes finalist — his impact on our community and campus over the past four years has been inestimable.”
Wells’ journey as a Rhodes finalist began in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, where he founded a nonprofit focused on fostering civil discourse. At Florida State, he has continued his community involvement as a student leader and served as student body vice president during his junior year.
He is an advocate for voting rights and civic engagement and has interned for numerous governmental and civic organizations, including the White House, Florida House of Representatives, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and the NAACP.
Wells has concentrated his undergraduate research on the intersections of political inclusion, minority rights and democracy. He is writing his senior thesis on the NAACP’s campaign for a federal anti-lynching law under the mentorship of Professor Davis Houck.
As a sophomore, Wells was selected as a scholar in the John Robert Lewis Scholars & Fellows Program. Through this program, Wells studied the work of civil rights icon John Lewis and his nonviolent philosophy. Last year, Wells was named a finalist of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the federally funded scholarship for juniors with outstanding leadership potential who wish to pursue a graduate education and career in public service.
“My experiences while at Florida State have been pivotal in advancing my goal of becoming a civil rights attorney,” Wells said. “The remarkable village I found here, including mentors, peers, and support systems, has truly shaped me.”
Wells credited student leaders like Travis Waters (Class of 2023), Jack Hitchcock (Class of 2024) and Kahleel Gray (Class of 2022), his mentor Senator Travis Davis, and educators such as Professor Davis Houck, Professor Amanda Driscoll, Professor Rahda Modi and Erin Sylvester Philpot, assistant director for Leadership at the Center for Leadership and Service, for inspiring and challenging him.
“This community has poured into me, providing a foundation that continues to guide my path,” he said.
Florida State has had five Rhodes Scholars: Frederick William Buchholtz (1905), Caroline Alexander (1976), Garrett Johnson (2006), Joe O’Shea (2008) and Myron Rolle (2009). FSU had Rhodes Scholar finalists in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018 and 2023.
Jesse Wieland, associate director of the Office of National Fellowships (ONF), said Wells clearly outlined lofty goals for himself when the two met four years ago, including his plan to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship.
“That is an easy claim to make, but significantly more difficult to see through, yet I never had any doubt about Rodney’s ability to do so,” Wieland said. “In the near decade that I have worked for ONF, I have known extremely few students who have demonstrated the excellence, consistency, and academic grit that Rodney has shown. No one applies to Rhodes in a vacuum; to be competitive for this scholarship necessitates many years of diligent, exceptional work in the classroom, community, and professional realms. Rodney’s consideration for Rhodes exemplifies his long history of compelling accomplishments and it is further proof that he has an incredibly bright future.”
Rhodes Scholarships are fully funded, full-time, postgraduate awards that enable talented young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford. Created in 1902, they are the oldest and among the most distinguished international fellowship awards in the world. Scholars are nominated based on academic achievements, character, leadership qualities, and commitment to others.
For more information on nationally competitive fellowships and awards, visit onf.fsu.edu.