- Press Release -

Announcing the 2023 Barry Scholars

 

We are delighted to announce the 2023 recipients of the John and Daria Barry Scholarship for study in the University of Oxford.

Awarded in recognition of a student’s dedication to the academic vocation and the pursuit of truth, the Barry Scholarship is an academic award like no other. It provides full funding for a minimum of two years of study at the University of Oxford in any discipline, for any degree. Barry Scholars receive full funding for tuition, a generous living stipend, a yearly research allowance, a yearly travel allowance, and full reimbursement of the UK’s health surcharge as well as all university and visa application fees. Generously funded by the John and Daria Barry Foundation, the Scholarship is an initiative of the Canterbury Institute

We invite you to learn about our newest Barry Scholars below, who will each begin at Oxford in fall of 2023. For all inquiries, please email pm@canterbury.institute 

2023 Barry Scholars

Abigail Anthony will read the MPhil in Linguistics, Philology, and Phonetics at St Hugh’s College, Oxford. She is a senior at Princeton University majoring in Politics and earning certificates in Linguistics and Creative Writing. On campus, she served as President of the Princeton Federalist Society, Chief Copy Editor of The Princeton Tory, Vice President of the free-speech organization the Princeton Open Campus Coalition, and Treasurer of the Princeton Network of Enlightened Women chapter. She has written for National Review, USA Today, The Washington Free Beacon, The College Fix, and other publications. Prior to attending university, she was a professional ballerina.

Drew Basile will read the MSt in English Literature (1900-Present) at Mansfield College, Oxford. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a major in English and a minor in Philosophy. His senior thesis focused on the narrative role of free indirect discourse in Flaubert and Musil. Also at Penn, he served as an Undergraduate Fellow for the Collegium Institute and an editor for the Penn Review. He received the Mellon Undergraduate Summer Fellowship for a digital humanities project tracking Russian translation, as well as the Terry B. Heled Travel and Research Grant for a travelogue following Goethe’s Italian Journey. At Oxford, Drew hopes to blend continental philosophy with modernist literature in considering narrative worlds from a phenomenological perspective. In his free time, he writes fiction, plays Scrabble, and enjoys the television show Survivor.

Colton Duncan will read the MPhil in Modern Languages at Oxford. He graduated summa cum laude from Hillsdale College with a BA in Classics and International Studies in Business and Foreign Language. At Oxford, he hopes to study the relationship between aesthetic perception and moral education by researching the influence of Neoplatonic thought on German Romanticism. His senior thesis investigated Bernard of Clairvaux's use of paradox in the Sermons on the Song of Songs as a means to attain knowledge of the divine. Colton has served as a leader for Hillsdale’s Thomistic Institute chapter and as a member of the Catholic Society Executive Board. He enjoys backpacking, hunting, cooking, and film, and is a Gregorian chant aficionado.

Prerita Govil will read the MPhil in Classical Indian Religion at Wolfson College, Oxford. She graduated magna cum laude from American University with a BA in Political Science and a specialization in Political Theory. As an undergraduate, she was awarded the Political Theory Institute’s annual prize for her essay on the role of leisure in Michel de Montaigne’s political thought and its greater bearing on considerations of liberal education. She is particularly interested in inquiries of the good, truth, virtue, human nature, self-knowledge, and the question of what it, ultimately, means to be a human being. At Oxford, Prerita is excited to further explore these questions through a comparative approach that delves into both Ancient Indian and Greek philosophy. Outside of her formal coursework, she has held fellowships with the Hudson Institute Political Studies, the Hertog Foundation, the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, and the Witherspoon Institute. She enjoys reading a good novel, learning new languages, and taking long walks with her dog.

Katherine Helmick will read the DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages at Oxford. She completed the MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation (Spanish and Zulu) at Keble College, Oxford. She also holds a BA in Art with a Spanish minor and concentration in U.S. Politics from Hillsdale College. Her research focuses on language and literature in Africa, with particular attention to the implications of translingualism in multi-ethnic nations such as South Africa and Equatorial Guinea. An avid traveler, Katherine has taught with the JET program in Japan and served with the Peace Corps in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She writes on philosophical and social issues for The Critic and previously studied political philosophy as a resident fellow at the John Jay Institute. In 2014, she founded Salt and Iron: SeasonedWriting.com, an online magazine dedicated to excellence in Christian writing. She enjoys partner dancing and public speaking.

Gregory Langone will read the MSc in Engineering Science by Research at New College, Oxford. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he studied Civil Engineering and minored in Applied Statistics. Gregory has put his knowledge of materials and statistics to work in the Pentagon for the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment where he wrote papers on emerging sustainable construction materials to inform political appointees and senior Army leaders. Outside the classroom, Gregory has a passion for working in teams, which he has done as a member of the NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field teams and as a representative on West Point’s Honor Committee. Gregory now looks to serve as an Engineer officer in the United States Army where he will engage directly with infrastructure that affects the lives of soldiers and civilians alike.

Ethan Phillips will read the MSc in Modelling for Global Health at Reuben College, Oxford. He graduated with honors and highest distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BSPH in Health Policy and Management from the Gillings School of Global Public Health with minors in Public Policy and Chemistry. At UNC, Ethan was a Morehead-Cain scholar and was awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for unselfish dedication to human welfare. He was also highly involved in student governance and pursued public health and health policy research, completing an honors thesis on the use of data and technology to advance health equity in primary care. Ethan is interested in exploring the intersection of economics, healthcare, and equity and intends to apply to medical school following his studies at Oxford. Outside of his academic pursuits, he enjoys sailing, cooking, and spending time outdoors.

Craig Ruiz will read the BA in History and Politics at Regent's Park College, Oxford. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Arizona State University with a BA in Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership and a minor in Spanish. His thesis for Barrett, the Honors College was an analysis of theories of political cohesion in Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. At Oxford, he wishes to continue his study of cohesion in diverse historical contexts. He also has a passion for local politics and has worked with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Outside of his formal studies, Craig is an enthusiastic traveler, concertgoer, and reader of classic texts.

Benedict Stanley will read the DPhil in Law at Queen’s College, Oxford, where he will also be the Anthony Honoré Scholar in Law. Benedict’s previous degree was a BA in Jurisprudence from St John’s College, Oxford, where he was a Casberd Scholar, and obtained the White & Case Prize in Comparative Private Law. He plans to pursue a DPhil, which is to be a comparative and historical study of the development of doctrinal legal scholarship in England and Germany (with additional reference to the United States) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Benedict is particularly interested in questioning certain conceptual assumptions in how law is explained (taxonomies, national boundaries) and the implications of this for traditional “black letter” legal scholarship. In his spare time, Benedict occupies himself with analogue photography, computer programming, art galleries, and endeavouring to read as widely as possible.

Michele Szegda will read the MSc in Medical Physics with Radiation Biology at Oxford. She will graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, where she studied Nuclear Engineering with a Life Science concentration. Michele is a member of the Women’s Army Rugby team and a member of the Officers’ Christian Fellowship, where she remains dedicated to fostering inclusive and supportive teams with those around her. Inspired by her parents’ battle with cancer and her service as an enlisted medic in the United States Army, Michele’s passion for learning is expressed through the nexus of her academic interests of cellular biology, chemistry, and nuclear engineering. She has pursued multiple research projects in investigating metallic nanoparticles’ interaction with gamma radiation, in developing the pyrotechnic ignitor for the SPEAR team’s rocket, and in examining the ethical implications of utilizing nanotechnology for human enhancement. In her career, Michele intends to develop innovative, human-centric technologies in radiation biology to improve the effectiveness of current therapeutic cancer treatments. Critical to progressing the fields of nuclear medicine and radiation oncology, the next generation of scientists must be able to speak multiple scientific disciplines, with chemistry and radiation biology being a primary focus. In her career, Michele plans to utilize her diverse academic background and her personal experiences to not only bridge the divide between basic research enterprises and clinical investigation, but to combine her comprehensive knowledge of radiation and its effects on biological systems to mitigate the subversive effects of radiotherapy.

Lindsey A. Williams will read the MPhil in Politics (Political Theory). Originally from Salem, Oregon, she graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in History. While there, she was an Undergraduate Fellow at Stanford Law School’s Constitutional Law Center, as well as founder, staff editor, and contributor to the Stanford Undergraduate Law Review. She also belonged to the founding board of her local chapter of the ACLU. An awarded writer and speaker, Lindsey has earned accolades from the Hoover Institute and PEN America for her essays and papers. Her research includes work on applying rational choice theory to judicial decision-making during periods of political polarization, the history of justiciability doctrines in American common law, and the emergence of written constitutionalism in the colonial Americas. At Oxford, she will be studying the intersection of democratic theory, judicial power, and constitutional interpretation. After completing her MPhil, she will be continuing her education at Yale Law School. Outside of her work, Lindsey’s hobbies include digital photography, reading novels, collecting vinyl, and enjoying all kinds of live music.

 

Contact:

Canterbury Institute, 82-83 St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1RA. England.

development@canterbury.institute