FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                    RELEASE NO.  93-09

WEST POINT EARNS TWO RHODES SCHOLARS -- Nov. 23, 2009

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- The Rhodes Scholarship Trust has announced U.S. Military Academy Cadet Elizabeth A. Betterbed of Fox Island, Wash., and Alexandra P. Rosenberg of New York, N.Y., as two of the 32 American recipients for this year’s prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.

Scholarship recipients are selected on the criteria of scholastic talent, leadership ability, integrity of character, selflessness and physical prowess.  Both Betterbed and Rosenberg will have the opportunity to continue their education at Oxford, England, for two years.  Since 1923, West Point has earned this achievement 90 times ranking it fourth nationally.

Betterbed is in her final year at West Point where she majors in mechanical engineering.  She is the Deputy Brigade Commander, the second highest ranked leadership position for the 4,400 Corps of Cadets and is second in her class academically, and first overall (academic, physical and military disciplines.) 

Betterbed has earned awards in mechanical engineering by conducting research for the Pentagon’s Quadrennial Defense Review and studied in Mexico as an exchange student.  She is a member of a team of cadets currently designing and building a powered prosthetic foot to allow wounded Soldiers to have the ability to run and as a varsity soccer player, she earned the designation of an academic All-American.  Betterbed will complete a Master of Philosophy in geography and the environment at Oxford.

Rosenberg, a senior at the academy, is a sociology major and is currently ranked first in her class academically.  She is a 2009 Truman Scholar recipient and has achieved accolades for physical and military excellence in addition to awards in chemistry, psychology and history.  Rosenberg has worked in community development and as an assistant physician in Gambia.  Rosenberg plans to complete a Master of Science in global health science at Oxford.

About West Point
Ranked the “Top College in the Country” by Forbes and “Top Public Liberal Arts College” by
US News & World Report, the U.S. Military Academy is a four-year co-educational federal undergraduate liberal arts college located 50 miles north of New York City.  The world's preeminent leader development institution, it was founded in 1802 as America's first college of engineering.  Its mission remains constant—to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.  For more information, go to www.westpoint.edu.