Sask. student wins Rhodes Scholarship
A University of Saskatchewan (U of S) student has won a Rhodes scholarship to study at the University of Oxford in England.
Cassidy Serhienko is one of only 11 recipients in Canada, according to a U of S news release.
She will pursue a Master’s in English Literature and focus on contemporary feminist writing.
“It still hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Serhienko said in the news release.
“I’d heard of the scholarship before; it gets references on TV shows and stuff like that all the time,” she said.
Serhienko earned her Bachelor of Education degree in 2021 and is currently finishing her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English.
“I looked up more specifics about the program after the information session, and I knew that I wanted to apply for it when I was finished my English honours degree because I would want to study for my Master’s in English Literature if I got the scholarship.”
During her time at the U of S, she served as a peer mentor in the College of Education and was part of a research team that was transcribing The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.
“Education was where my interests were, and then I got to take a lot of university English classes as part of the curriculum,” said Serhienko.
“I just love the atmosphere of English because I think it can seem like a more solitary discipline than some of the others, because you’re doing pretty much all your research on your own with a book, but it’s very collaborative. It’s like an ongoing conversation and I’ve always found that very interesting and exciting.”
She said she hopes to become a university professor in the future.
The Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford is the oldest graduate scholarship offered and among the most prestigious, the U of S release said. The scholarship will cover tuition, fees and provide a stipend for living expenses.
“Congratulations to Cassidy Serhienko, USask’s newest recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship,” said Dr. Airini, USask’s provost and vice-president academic. “The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the most prestigious student awards in the world. Outstanding students like Cassidy Serhienko exemplify the aspirations outlined in the University Plan 2025, including Distinguished Learners and Global Recognition, and further illuminate USask’s goal of being the university the world needs.”
Serhienko is among 72 U of S students that have been awarded the scholarship since 1907.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
23 vehicles towed, dozens of tickets issued as rally marks one-year anniversary of 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa
OPS and Ottawa Bylaw officers issued 192 parking tickets and 67 Provincial Offences Notices in downtown Ottawa this weekend, as people gathered marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.

'COVID is not done,' Canadian infectious disease expert says ahead of WHO announcement
While RSV and flu cases steadily decline in Canada, the World Health Organization is set to announce on Monday whether it still considers COVID-19 a global health emergency, but one infectious disease specialist says we still need to keep an eye on the coronavirus.
YouTube star MrBeast helps 1,000 blind people see again by sponsoring cataract surgeries
YouTube superstar MrBeast is making the world clearer -- for at least 1,000 people. The content creator's latest stunt is paying for cataract removal for 1,000 people who were blind or near-blind but could not afford the surgery.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion dies at 101
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
'24,' 'Runaways' actor Annie Wersching has died at 45
Actor Annie Wersching, best known for playing FBI agent Renee Walker in the series '24' and providing the voice for Tess in the video game 'The Last of Us' has died. She was 45.
Father pushing Manitoba to follow Ontario, Saskatchewan in screening for CMV
Roughly one in 200 babies born in Canada today will have congenital cytomegalovirus, a virus that can lead to hearing loss, intellectual disability or vision loss. But with only two provinces screening newborns for CMV, one father is asking other health-care systems to do more.
Russian teen faces years in jail over social media post criticizing war in Ukraine
A Russian teenager must wear an ankle bracelet while she is under house arrest after she was charged over social media posts that authorities say discredit the Russian army and justify terrorism.
Emotional ceremony marks 6th anniversary of Quebec mosque shooting
An emotional ceremony took place today marking the sixth anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting, held for the first time in the same room where many of the victims were killed. Six men died that night: Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzeddine Soufiane and Aboubaker Thabti were gunned down not long after evening prayers at the suburban Quebec City mosque.
As Canada's RCMP marks 150th anniversary, a look at what it says needs to change
After years of reports and allegations detailing a 'toxic' workplace, Canada's RCMP says it is trying to evolve, focusing on diversity in its organization and repairing relationships with communities as it marks its 150th anniversary.