A pair of exceptional NYU Abu Dhabi students have been named 2015 Rhodes Scholars for the United Arab Emirates and will be attending Oxford University for their graduate studies starting in September.

After a trial period, the distinguished and globally recognized scholarship has now been endowed in the UAE, which means Falcon Scholar Arfa Rehman, selected by The Rhodes Trust in December, will receive full Rhodes status for 2015, as will co-recipient Hamel Al Qubaisi, a political science major who's looking forward to joining a "diverse and decorated community of scholars from all over the world" at Oxford this fall.

The Rhodes Scholarships support students who demonstrate a strong propensity to emerge as “leaders for the world's future”. One or two students attending Oxford from the UAE will be selected annually, The Rhodes Trust said.

Rehman, whose design work has been recognized by Visual Arabia, plans to study sociology at the prestigious UK university. "I had a very memorable experience meeting the exceptional finalists and panelists during the selection process," she said, "and am extremely grateful to the selection committee for giving me this incredible opportunity."

Five NYUAD students have won scholarships to Oxford from The Rhodes Trust. Alex Wang (Class of '14) was NYUAD's first Rhodes Scholar, and fellow graduates Shamma Sohail Faris Al Mazrui and Charlotte Wang were both named UAE Falcon Scholars.