Macalester's Rhodes Scholar proves that 13 can be lucky

By JIM ADAMS, Star Tribune

Last update: November 17, 2008 - 11:21 PM

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A senior at Macalester College in St. Paul has received a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.

Jamaican Michael Waul, a biochemistry major with a geography minor, will pursue a two-year master's degree in medicinal chemistry at Oxford University in England next fall.

Waul, 21, was the only person from the Caribbean to join more than 60 scholars from about 20 countries this year. But he is the fourth Caribbean student in the past eight years from Macalester to be awarded this honor and the 13th Rhodes Scholar in the college's history.

Some of his Macalester professors and friends thought he had a good chance, but Waul wasn't as sure.

"I was surprised," he said. He said Jamaica had eight other talented candidates competing who were interviewed with him. His interview, by former Rhodes Scholars and others, "was grueling. They asked some tough questions."

His parents, an electrical engineer and elementary school teacher, were on hand after the interviews when he won the award Friday. They said they weren't surprised, but Waul said, "I know they were shocked." He is the youngest of their four sons.

Rhodes Scholars are chosen based on academic excellence, leadership, integrity, community service and involvement in sports and extracurricular activities. Waul said his service included mentoring children in St. Paul whose parents were struggling with drug and alcohol abuse.

He has done research on drug synthesis in the body and hopes to get a doctorate in medical research and then work in that field in Jamaica.

Waul's academic adviser, chemistry Prof. Ronald Brisbois, said in a news release that "Michael is a diligent, mature, enthusiastic and pleasant young man whose senses of humor and perspective, as well as his ever-present smile, draw people to him. Michael has the innate foundations of aptitude, attitude, self-motivation and charisma that make it easy for me to envision great things for and from him."

Jim Adams • 612-673-7658

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