ELSCE Undergraduate Fellow Named Rhodes Scholar

Lena Ashooh with ELSCE undergraduate fellows and Prof. Arthur Applbaum
Lena Ashooh with ELSCE undergraduate fellows and Prof. Arthur Applbaum
Rhodes Scholarship honoree Lena Ashooh, third from left with ELSCE Undergraduate Fellows and Professor Arthur Applbaum, whom Lena cites as an influential mentor.

 

The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics is pleased to announce that Undergraduate Fellow Lena Ashooh has been named a Rhodes Scholar for 2025. A native of Shelburne, Vermont, Ashooh designed a major in animal studies, combining insights from philosophy, psychology, biology, and political science to explore the ethical dimensions of human-animal relationships. Her interdisciplinary research spans topics like the ethics of eating animals and primate behavior, alongside her advocacy for environmental justice. Ashooh will pursue graduate studies in political theory at Oxford University, joining a distinguished cohort of scholars from around the world. This is the third year in a row that an ELSCE Undergraduate Fellow has been named a Rhodes scholar. Ashooh joins ELSCE fellows Henry Cerbone (2022) and Suhaas Bhat (2023).

Ashooh is one of eight Rhodes Scholars from Harvard this year, five of whom were selected as U.S. Rhodes Scholars—the most awarded to any institution in 2025. This achievement underscores Harvard College's commitment to fostering academic excellence and leadership across diverse fields. To learn more about Ashooh and the other Rhodes Scholars, read Harvard's full announcement here.

Lena Ashooh and Christine Korsgaard
Lena Ashooh, left, pictured with Prof. Christine Korsgaard, whose work has greatly influenced her academic path.