On Sunday, Nov. 13, Marie-Rose Sheinerman ’23 was awarded this year’s Rhodes Scholarship. Sheinerman, Princeton’s sole Rhodes-winner, who serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Princetonian’s 146th Board, will begin graduate studies next fall at the University of Oxford.
Sheinerman, who is from New York City, is concentrating in history with a certificate in Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies at Princeton. Following her graduation this spring, she plans to pursue an M.Phil. in Modern European History at Oxford.
The Rhodes Scholarships, established in 1902 through the will of Cecil John Rhodes, are widely regarded as some of the most prestigious international scholarship programs in the world. Sheinerman is one of 32 students from the United States to receive this scholarship, which provides two to three years of fully-funded study at the University of Oxford.
Sheinerman sat down with the ‘Prince’ following the announcement to discuss her reaction and her passion for journalism.
“It was definitely an intense process, and an anxiety-inducing one,” Sheinerman said of the application process for a Rhodes Scholarship.
“Honestly, I still feel so overwhelmed and grateful and in shock at this news that I haven’t gotten to the step of actually imagining the next two years,” she said.
When Sheinerman found out that she had won a Rhodes Scholarship, she said she was overwhelmed with happiness.
“I could barely breathe. Honestly, [I was] just so in shock, and then I called my mom and she started crying and I started crying,” she told the ‘Prince.’
In a phone call with the ‘Prince,’ Professor Joe Stephens, founding director of Princeton’s Program in Journalism, reacted similarly to the news of Sheinerman receiving a Rhodes Scholarship.
“She sent me an email to let me know, and I think I actually shouted. I was so happy,” he said, adding that “it’s funny ’cause it wasn’t a surprise at all.”
Stephens commended Sheinerman’s journalistic talent, saying, “She really loves journalism and she thinks deeply about it and all its aspects … y’know, ethics and the nuance of reporting.”
Apart from her current role as the 146th Editor-in-Chief for the ‘Prince,’ Sheinerman has an impressive record of journalistic accomplishments and said she intends to pursue a career in journalism following her time at Oxford. Earlier this year, Sheinerman was part of a team of reporters from the Miami Herald that won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for their extensive coverage of the condominium collapse in Surfside, Florida.
Sheinerman credits her sophomore year history course, HIS 280: Approaches to American History, taught by Professor Beth Lew-Williams, for imbuing her with a “love for historical methods” and “working with primary sources.” She stated that it allowed her to formulate work similar to investigative journalism, which was “something that [she] already loved.”
“It’s been an evolving path,” Sheinerman stated in regard to pursuing a career in journalism.
“I feel like so, so much of the reason I love journalism and the reason I want to do it eventually is because of the community I found here and the way that I feel like [The Daily Princetonian] has made my time at Princeton meaningful,” she added.
In Princeton’s announcement of her scholarship, Sheinerman noted that her “passion lies in journalism” and that she hopes “to work as a reporter, perhaps eventually even as a foreign correspondent.”
“There’s a special quality there,” Stephens added. “I found her to be one of the most thoughtful people that I’ve run across at Princeton’s campus.”
“I just really enjoyed our conversations, and it’s a two-way street … I’ve learned a lot by talking to Marie-Rose,” Stephens said.
When asked about plans for her time at Oxford, Sheinerman told the ‘Prince’ of an ongoing pursuit of learning.
“My ultimate goal, I would say, is just to learn. I think some of the deepest and most significant learning I’ve done at Princeton is actually through friendships and conversations with my peers, and I’m really excited to continue learning from people smarter than myself in so many different areas and so many different perspectives,” she said.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the award had been announced on Nov. 14. In fact, it was announced Nov. 13.
Karina Li is a news contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Simone Kirkevold is a news contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please direct any corrections to corrections@dailyprincetonian.com.
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