MEET AIMEE CLESI, Rhodes Scholar

There are many ways to describe Aimee Clesi. A senior studying philosophy and history at UF. A firstgeneration college student. A future lawyer passionate about the issue of wrongful conviction. The first UF student in 22 years to win the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, and the first woman from UF to win it.

The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest international scholarship program that funds graduate study at Oxford University, and is considered one of the most prestigious. The scholarship covers tuition and includes a stipend for costs of living. Clesi first heard about the Rhodes Scholarship from her mother, who was adamant that her daughters graduate debt free, but it was Ms. Kelly J. Medley from the Honors office who helped Clesi understand what it really takes to apply for the competitive scholarship. With help from

Medley, Clesi started the rigorous application process two years ago. Clesi first applied to the Beinecke and Truman Scholarships, both of which fit her graduate education goals, but she was selected for neither. Although the rejections were devastating, Clesi says that the process of applying itself has influenced her career goals. For example, writing a public policy proposal for forming a conviction integrity unit when she applied for the Truman Scholarship helped Clesi further develop her passion for the issue of wrongful conviction. “These failures helped to finesse who it is I am and what I want to do when I am older,” Clesi said.

Although she has already been selected for the Rhodes Scholarship, Clesi still needs to separately apply to Oxford and gain admittance to the university. Clesi plans to pursue a DPhil, an academic degree in law, to learn about legal issues in the United States from an academic perspective. After finishing at Oxford, Clesi then plans to attend a law school in the US to obtain a JD, a degree to practice law. Despite the many years of schooling required of this path, Clesi strongly believes that an academic law degree will benefit her in achieving her long-term career goal of practicing law. Clesi’s dedication to having a thorough understanding of legal and racial issues is evident even in her undergraduate career. Her favorite part about philosophy and history is “the variety of thought that comes from multiple perspectives,” which is evident when learning about how stories such as that of Rosewood are told differently based on the time period and contemporary events that influence the telling.

In addition to an hour-long commute to drive to campus from her home in Branford, Clesi has worked throughout college. She currently works part-time in the History Department, but previously she worked for Harveys and Winn-Dixie, as well as Ichetucknee Springs State Park during the pandemic. She has also had multiple internships to gain experience in law and public policy. Clesi admits to being a procrastinator, but she says the key to managing her busy schedule is packing in as much as she can when she is on campus—from schoolwork to events at the Bob Graham Center to philosophy conferences. She also uses cross-country running as a method to decompress.

Clesi’s top advice to other students is to talk to their professors and find mentors. Clesi is thankful for her own support network of mentors that she has found at UF. Clesi says that she is grateful to the Bob Graham Center and Center for Humanities and Public Sphere, specifically Dr. Matthew Jacobs, Ms. Marianne Vernetson, Dr. Sophia Acord, Dr. Sheila Dickison, Dr. Lynn Leverty and Dr. Louise Newman, for providing opportunities such as her legal internship. Clesi also is grateful to her academic and research mentors, Dr. Jaime Ahlberg, Dr. Steve Noll, Dr. Sheryl Kroen and Dr. Heather Vrana, who have taught her history and philosophy and pushed her past her comfort zone. Clesi attributes her accomplishments and feeling of belonging to her large support network, both at UF and beyond. With her passion for justice, strong work ethic and gracious personality, it is easy to see why Clesi was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship.

After a foreign exchange at the Royal Holloway, University of London with her twin sister, Clesi is excited to return to Britain. Clesi says that she is looking forward to the diversity of international students she anticipates interacting with at Oxford. While she is proud of her accomplishments, Clesi remains humbly dedicated to her passion of using the law to find justice in cases of wrongful conviction and hopes to represent the University of Florida. Clesi wants to inspire and encourage other UF students. “Our school, we have earned our place among these elite institutions, and we can do just as well if not better than them. We have a spot to make, we have something to say, and I want to encourage other people from my school and community,” Clesi said.