Wheatle

She stood speechless as she heard her name announced as the recipient of the 2008 Rhodes Scholarship. Se-Shauna Wheatle, the smallest of this year's nine candidates, expressed shock and surprise when she heard her name. "I couldn't even talk," she said.

The 22-year-old is a graduate of the University of the West Indies. She has a first-class honours degree in law and is currently pursuing a Certificate in Legal Education at the Norman Manley Law School. Se-Shauna's scholarship takes effect next September, when she will leave Jamaica for the University of Oxford in England to pursue a bachelor's degree in civil law.

Praises for parents

This is Se-Shauna's second attempt to win the Rhodes Scholarship. "Last year, I felt I did well, but I guess not good enough, so this year I thought I would do better," she said.

She gives credit to her parents, both of whom are teachers, for all the success she has reaped. Se-Shauna's parents are currently living overseas. Her mother is teaching in the United States and her father resides in England. She admits that being away from her mother will be hard, "she is a driving force in my life," she said.

"My passion is law," Se-Shauna said. She said she hopes that pursuing a career in law will help her to bring about changes in the justice system and to the lives of people. She made a presentation on behalf of the legislative committee of the Norman Manley Law School to the parliamentary subcommittee in an effort to amend the Offences Against the Persons Act. She wants the law to recognise marital rape and to be more sensitive to young males who have been sexually molested.

Se-Shauna participates in outreach programmes. Currently, she is involved with the National Initiative for Street Children, where she gives her services to the Oxford Remedial Boys' Home. She also enjoys reading Caribbean poetry, watching cricket and listening to reggae and rhythm and blues music.