The man in charge of one of the most prestigious award funds in the English-speaking world has been spending time at OU this week. As warden-elect of the Rhodes Scholarship Trust, John Rowett has been visiting as the guest of Honors College Dean Steve Gillon.

Rhodes scholarships are awarded to students to pursue two years of graduate study at Oxford University with the possibility of a third year. Former recipients include President Bill Clinton and OU President David Boren.

Before he took the helm as dean of the Honors College, Gillon was a historian at Oxford. Rowett, an Oxford historian, was on the committee that hired Gillon to transfer from Yale University and work at Oxford.

Now Gillon has brought his former colleague to Norman to give advice on how the Honors College can be improved, how to improve relations and programs between OU and Oxford, and, ultimately, how OU can produce a Rhodes Scholar.

Rowett said the university must continue to develop a well-thought-out and attractive curriculum to harness and develop the academic talents of the students.

"He is part of our effort to make OU more stimulating and more challenging," Gillon said.
As part of his duties as warden, Rowett is meeting with the chairmen of the Rhodes selection committees, the Rhodes scholars and the presidents of universities.

"I am here, first of all, as the CEO of the Rhodes trust," Rowett said.
Rowett has met with students and Honors College faculty, and he will meet with the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Boren before his flight back to London on Friday
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