ABQ Times

Abrianna Morales, a 2023 graduate from the University of New Mexico (UNM), has been awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. She is among 32 U.S. recipients who will receive full funding for two years of graduate study at the University of Oxford.

Morales graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminology. Her work has focused on victim advocacy and policy reform. At UNM, she was recognized as a Presidential Scholarship recipient, a 2022 Truman Scholar, and participated in research through the McNair Scholars Program and the Psychology Honors Program.

As the founder of the Sexual Assault Youth Support Network, Morales provides resources to young sexual assault survivors. She currently works as a program manager with the National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA), overseeing the Victim Advocacy Corps. This initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, offers college students training in advocacy to foster future leaders in victim services.

Morales plans to pursue a master's degree in Political Thought at Oxford starting October 2025. Her selection marks UNM's first Rhodes Scholarship recipient since 2001.

Dr. Kiyoko Simmons from UNM Honors College praised Morales: “The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the most prestigious and competitive awards in the world, and Abrianna has joined an elite group of scholars who are shaping the future.” Dr. Jaymes Fairfax-Columbo also commended her: “Abrianna Morales is an exceptional person who displays professional poise far beyond her years.”

This year, over one hundred Rhodes Scholars will be selected globally from more than 70 countries.

For further details about this scholarship opportunity, visit Rhodes Scholarship.