Nikki van den Heever was a finalist for this year’s Rhodes Scholarship. A graduate student in the CEAE department at CU Boulder, Nikki is graduating in December with a Master’s Degree in Civil Systems Engineering with a certificate in Engineering for Developing Communities. In addition, Nikki is the president of CU’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders. For her outstanding academic achievements as well as her work in leadership and service, Nikki was selected to be a finalist for one of the 32 annual Rhodes Scholarships. Winners of the Rhodes Scholarship receive the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in the UK.
Nikki did not ultimately receive a Rhodes Scholarship, but she was honored on Tuesday by the Boulder City Council along with fellow CU student Serene Singh, who did win the award. It is uncommon for two students from the same institution to be selected as finalists, but both women are highly accomplished in their fields.
After graduating, Nikki is planning on taking a year off for travel and then pursuing a PhD in international development policy. She plans to use her background in civil engineering and international development to work in the field of international policy development.
I am honored to have been selected as a Rhodes finalist and to have had the opportunity to represent CU, and all that it has given me, on such a prestigious stage. The experience was an exciting one and I enjoyed getting to know the other finalists. Congratulations to Serene, who is the first woman in CU's history to receive the scholarship.