A Faculty of Arts graduate, Ms Awkar is one of nine Australian scholars selected, all chosen based on exceptional intellect, character, leadership and commitment to service. She was elected by the NSW Selection Committee, which is chaired by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales.
Ms Awkar, who completed a Bachelor of Security Studies and a Bachelor of Media and Communications at Macquarie, intends to complete a Master of Science in Sociology and a Master of Science in Social Science of the Internet at the University of Oxford.
“I am really interested in the relationship between political knowledge, social behaviour and technology, and I am particularly concerned about hate, discrimination and violence in increasingly porous online and offline environments,” she said.
“I want to explore best practices for building critical internet literacy within communities and explore how we might use technologies to address polarisation and build intercultural relationships for safer, more socially just societies – every person has the right to embrace their culture, faith and sexuality free from the spectre of hate and violence.”
Top honour: Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, with NSW Rhodes Scholar-Elect, Macquarie University alumna Annalise Awkar. Photo courtesy of Government House.
The University of Oxford Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest and one of the most prestigious international scholarship programs. It is a fully funded, full-time, postgraduate award.
Ms Awkar said her experience at Macquarie University has helped shape her success “in countless direct and indirect ways”.
Professor Eric Knight, Executive Dean of Macquarie Business School, himself a Rhodes Scholar (he holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford) said Ms Awkar exemplified the Macquarie University ethos.
“Rhodes Scholars are selected for their instincts to lead and commitment to public service,” he said.
“At a time when political leadership and public discourse are being challenged around the world, it is wonderful to see Annalise’s contributions and plans be recognised in this way.
“It is consonant with our mission at Macquarie University to be a university of service and engagement.”
Ms Awkar grew up in Western Sydney, an experience she says has been heavily influential on her personal and professional direction.
She attended high school at Catherine McAuley Westmead and studied at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore as a recipient of the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan Scholarship Program.
She is currently a Digital Community Resilience Officer at Multicultural NSW, where she delivers a range of state and national initiatives that counter violent extremism and build community resilience and social cohesion.
