VIDEO | Parkes Kendrick and Ian Solof Discuss Prestigious Rhodes Scholarship

PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland women's cross country senior Parkes Kendrick is a finalist for the esteemed Rhodes Scholarship, one of the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship awards in the world. The final interview for the scholarship will take place this weekend in Seattle, Wash., unfortunately landing on the same weekend as the 2016 NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Each year before the Thanksgiving holiday, 32 students each year are selected to receive the Rhodes scholarship, chosen for their outstanding scholarly achievements, character, commitment to the common good, and their potential for leadership in whatever domains their career might lead. The Rhodes Trust provides full financial support for Rhodes Scholars to pursue a degree or degrees at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. These candidates are selected from a poll of candidates nominated by their universities, and will commence their studies at Oxford the following October if selected. 

"We are really proud of Parkes and this is an amazing opportunity for her," said Portland women's cross country head coach Ian Solof. "We wish she could run the NCAA meet as well as do her interview, but we support her and appreciate everything she has done for the team this season. This really shows what a great university Portland is and how important academics are to our program in particular. In addition to Parkes, our varsity includes another senior with a 3.99 in mechanical engineering and two others who are double majors with 3.98's. They epitomize our belief in national-level athletics and top-tier academics."