University of Lethbridge student named 2026 Rhodes Scholar

U of L student Sydney Whiting was named a 2026 Rhodes Scholar.

A University of Lethbridge student might need a new cell plan for her next academic stop: Oxford.

Sydney Whiting was named as one of 11 Canadians and three Prairie residents to receive a 2026 Rhodes scholarship.

Whiting drove to Edmonton on the weekend for the final interview and was driving home to southern Alberta when her cell rang.

It was great news.

“I was absolutely thrilled,” said Whiting in a media release. She is the fourth U of L student in school history to receive the honour.

“My family is so excited, and I’m so happy to share this with them, the University of Lethbridge and the community at large, as well.”

Whiting’s supervisor, political scientist Dr. Lars Hallstrom, said the honour was well-earned.

“It has been a pleasure, if not an honour, to work with Sydney for these past few years, both in class and at the Prentice Institute,” said Hallstrom. “I am absolutely delighted that she has received this scholarship.”

Whiting became interested in public policy as a student at Chinook High School, where she was part of the Youth Climate Strikes and Climate Hub of Southern Alberta.

At U of L, she studied political science and became involved in a variety of organizations related to climate and gender-based advocacy.

She was part of the Young Diplomats of Canada (YDC), where she represented Canadians as a delegate to the Y7 Summit, the youth advisory group to the G7, in Tokyo and to the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

During her time at U of L, she worked on numerous political campus campaigns and at the Campus Collective Centre, which focuses on gender and sexual health advocacy.

She also was involved in research projects at the Prentice Institute relating to rural social policy, immigration in rural communities, populism and media studies.

“I was lucky to settle into a program that I really felt could support the research I wanted to do and learn from experts here at the University of Lethbridge,” she said.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to have published work with co-authors at the Prentice Institute and presented at conferences in Canada and abroad,” she added. “The investment that, in particular, Dr. Hallstrom and the Prentice Institute have made into my education has been phenomenal.”

She finishes her U of L degree in December and will continue to work as a research associate at the Prentice Institute until next fall.

She intends to apply to Oxford’s School of Government for their public policy plus one program, which will earn her two degrees -- a master of public policy and a master of science in public policy research.

Past U of L students to be named Rhodes Scholars include Cheryl Misak (1984), Blair McMurren (1998) and Russell Goodman (2001).

The Rhodes Scholarship covers the cost of postgraduate studies at Oxford University, with a stipend to cover living costs.