Bellaire High School graduate named one of 32 Rhodes Scholars in the U.S.

Liana Wang, a 2016 graduate of Bellaire High School, a senior at Yale University and the first in her family to attend college, has reached an even higher achievement: She will be a Rhodes Scholar.

As one of 32 selected from about 1,000 applicants from the country's top universities, Wang will study at the University of Oxford starting in October 2020 alongside students from around the world. There, she will earn a graduate degree in politics, according to a statement from Houston ISD.

"This is a testament to the community that has brought me here: my family, friends, professors, and supporters throughout my life, including my teachers and mentors in Emerge and HISD,” Wang said in a news release. “They motivate my work and I hope my time at Oxford helps me better achieve my goals of pursuing a more just and equitable society."

Emerge, developed by HISD Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Rick Cruz, provides additional resources, counseling and programs for high-performing students from underserved communities so they can excel in college.

“Liana stood out, even among students who are extremely motivated and the cream of the crop,” Cruz said in the news release. “We celebrated her admission to Yale, and we are now elated to celebrate her selection by the Rhodes Trust. I know she and her family are overjoyed. We can only imagine what greatness lies ahead for her.”

During Wang's studies at Oxford, The Rhodes Trust covers the entire cost of tuition and fees and provides for a stipend as well as some travel expenses, with the total value of the scholarship averaging about $70,000 per year, according to the trust.