Posted Dec. 9/08

By Maria McClintock

Carleton student Alysia Garmulewicz has won a prestigious 2009 Rhodes Scholarship, becoming only the fifth Carleton student ever to do so.

“It was the most thrilling moment. It’s still hard to believe. It’s a dream come true and I have a lot of people to thank for it,” says Garmulewicz, 21, a British Columbia native.

“It’s an amazing community and network to be part of and it’s certainly an honour. I think it will really open doors in the sense of pursuing an academic career in the area I would like to,” says Garmulewicz, who has applied to attend Oxford in the fall to do a master’s of philosophy in geography and the environment with a concentration on environmental policy.

Her supporters at Carleton make up a long list of professors – James Meadowcroft (Public Administration), Peter Andree (Political Science), Wendy Donner (Philosophy), Frances Cherry, and Andrew Brook ( Philosophy) – deans and President Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte. They all credit Garmulewicz with being an academic star, but also a well-rounded citizen who is a talented athlete with an unwavering dedication to making a difference in the world on environmental issues.

“Alysia is an academic all-Canadian at Carleton and a leader with a strong commitment to the environment, a winner with the ability to excel at all she undertakes and a fine and caring member of the Carleton community,” said Dr.Runte.

Frances Cherry, Director, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, calls Garmulewicz a student with a “tremendous intellectual curiosity and a profound sense of social responsibility.”

“She typifies the independent-minded students drawn to the Directed Interdisciplinary Studies (DIS) program; she is also a superb communicator and problem-solver. Alysia is the DIS program’s first Rhodes Scholar in our 30 years on campus and we are extremely proud of her achievement,” says Cherry.

History Prof. Carter Elwood has organized and chaired the internal Rhodes screening process for years.

“Alysia is the most impressive applicant Carleton’s pre-selection committee has interviewed. She will make a fine representative of the university. I suspect we will hear more of her in the future.”

Philosophy Prof. Andrew Brook coached Garmulewicz during the application process and says that she embodies all of the ideals of the Rhodes Scholarship.

“Alysia Garmulewicz is the most passionate and well-informed advocate for sustainability of her age that I have ever met,” says Brook.

Garmulewicz is spending the Christmas holidays with her family in B.C. and then it’s back to Carleton to finish her undergraduate degree. She will graduate from Carleton in April 2009 with a BA in Directed Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on climate change and sustainability.

For the moment, Garmulewicz admits her head is in the clouds.

“I’ve got to get my feet on the ground – that’s for sure,” she says with a chuckle.

From - http://www.now.carleton.ca/2008-12/2172.htm