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Alumni Spotlight; Alumna Mercy Akoth Receives Oxford University Rhodes scholarship 2016

By July 18, 2016 No Comments

Alumna Mercy Akoth, class of 2015, graduated with a First Class Honours from Strathmore University, receiving the prestigious Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University to pursue a Master of Science in Mathematical and Computation Finance.

Rhodes Scholarships are postgraduate awards supporting outstanding all-round students at the University of Oxford, and providing transformative opportunities for exceptional individuals.  The Rhodes Trust provides the Rhodes Scholarships in partnership with Second Century Founder, John McCall MacBain and other generous benefactors.  A class of 95 Scholars is selected each year.

Mercy, who graduated with the esteemed Chancellors Award from Strathmore, was top of her undergraduate class and was voted the Most Outstanding Female Student by the School of Finance and Applied Economics class of 2015. She has passed 8 out of the 15 IFOA, UK Actuarial papers. Her undergraduate study on: Fitting a Dynamic Yield Macro Model in a Frontier Market: Evidence from Kenya, is under review and consideration for publication in the Journal for Studies in Economics and Econometrics.

Rhodes scholarship selection committees seek young women and men of outstanding intellect, character, leadership, and commitment to service.  The Rhodes Scholarships support students who demonstrate a strong propensity to emerge as leaders for the world’s future.

While a student at Strathmore, Mercy served as the Academic representative of the Strathmore Actuarial Science Students Association (SASSA). She is also a two time gold medalist in relays and silver medalist in 100 metres.

Mercy was greatly involved in community outreach camps that entailed painting of schools and mentoring the students in the schools visited, while still undertaking her undergraduate.

Congratulations to Mercy Akoth and her great achievement.