U of T students awarded Rhodes Scholarships

Alice Ferguson-O'Brien and Adham Elsherbini will begin fully funded graduate studies at the University of Oxford in 2026

By Young Um, Gabrielle Giroday, Rahul Kalvapalle

A climate organizer with a passion for building resilient communities and a medical student keen to harness AI for health equity have joined the ranks of University of Toronto students who have been awarded Rhodes Scholarships.

Alice Ferguson-O’Brien, a fourth-year undergraduate student who is pursuing a double major in UC's Cognitive Science program and the Department of Philosophy as a member of Trinity College, and Adham Elsherbini, a second-year medical student at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, are among 11 young Canadians to be elected Rhodes Scholars for 2026.

One of the world’s most prestigious scholarship programs, the Rhodes Scholarships provide full funding for recipients to undertake full-time graduate studies at the University of Oxford.

Ferguson-O’Brien will pursue a master’s in comparative social policy and applied digital health at Oxford, while Elsherbini plans to complete a PhD in surgical sciences.

“On behalf of the entire University of Toronto community, I would like to congratulate Alice Ferguson-O’Brien and Adham Elsherbini on being selected as Rhodes Scholars,“ says U of T President Melanie Woodin. “They exemplify the excellence of our student body – combining academic rigour with creativity, resilience and a deep commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

“I look forward to following their continued progress and contributions in the years to come.”

Alice Ferguson-O'Brien: Building resilient communities 

For Ferguson-O’Brien, the Rhodes Scholarship is an opportunity to build on her passion for mental health supports and community-building, which took root during her upbringing in St. John’s, N.L.

Growing up, she was deeply influenced by the wide network of people who supported her and her family, including her older brothers, who have disabilities. Inspired by her brothers, she volunteered with Best Buddies, a group that includes neurodiverse community members in meaningful ways. She also co-founded the St. John’s chapter of Fridays for Future, an international, youth-led climate action movement. Her passion for sustainability continued at U of T, where she joined the student group Climate Justice U of T and advocated for divestment from fossil fuels.

The recipient of a 2022 National Scholarship and 2023 Laidlaw Scholarship, Ferguson-O’Brien served on the board of the U of T Students’ Union, conducted research on conspiracy theory belief and well-being, and worked with the Arctic Mayors’ Forum to bring northern voices into global policy-making.

She says her experiences have forged a passion for building resilient communities and a determination to advocate for inclusive, just and supportive policies, particularly around mental illness.

“I hope to use my education to better understand, help, care for and connect with vulnerable people, and to ensure that people are given the tools and the power to shape the policies that matter to them,” Ferguson-O’Brien says.

She adds that she looks forward to contributing to the Rhodes community and pursuing research that will make a meaningful impact – and aims to return to St. John’s following her graduate studies. “All of these people who raised me as a village when I was younger – this scholarship feels like a shared accomplishment,” she says.