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In February 2025, the University of Houston celebrated another achievement as English major Kalena Holeman was named a Gates Cambridge Scholar. This makes her only the second student from UH to receive this prestigious scholarship, which will support her graduate studies at the University of Cambridge in England.
Holeman expressed her gratitude for the scholarship, stating, "I’ve never received such a competitive, national — or rather international — award before, so I am truly honored and humbled to have been chosen." She highlighted that funding her education at Cambridge had been a concern until she received the scholarship.
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is awarded to approximately 80 scholars worldwide each year, with only about 1.3% of applicants being selected. The scholarship was established in 2000 through a $210 million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It aims to support students from outside the UK pursuing graduate degrees at Cambridge.
Holeman is part of UH’s Honors College and has been recognized as a Mellon Research Scholar, FrameWorks Fellow, and Provost’s Undergraduate Research Scholar. Her contributions include work with the Houston Law Review and Glass Mountain literary journal as an editor. She has also served as a research assistant and participated in various research programs.
Reflecting on her experiences at UH, Holeman said, "These experiences undeniably set me on the path that I am now on today." As an undergraduate researcher, she focused on topics like receptions of antiquity in Black diasporic literature.
At Cambridge, Holeman plans to pursue a Master of Philosophy in classics. She explained her academic focus: "I am pursuing a Master of Philosophy in classics to study at the intersection of Black feminist theory and classical reception."
Diane Z. Chase, UH senior vice president for academic affairs and provost praised Holeman's achievements: “At UH, Kalena Holeman has certainly proven herself as a student and researcher.”
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards (OURMA) played a significant role in supporting Holeman's application process. Ben Rayder, executive director of OURMA said he was proud of Holeman's dedication: “She applied for multiple fellowships that were all a good fit for her interests.”
Holeman looks forward to personal growth through this opportunity: “This scholarship will not only allow me to receive a world-class education from Cambridge but it will also allow me to be surrounded by a diverse global cohort.”
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