One for the Rhodes

Hazim Hardeman, KLN ’17, became a hometown inspiration when he was named a 2018 Rhodes scholar, Temple’s first ever.

The North Philly native grew up blocks from Main Campus and navigated the harsh economic realities of his neighborhood and public school system to be one of just 32 Americans selected.

Now at Oxford University in England, he is working toward a master’s in history, and he revels in building relationships and hearing the global perspectives of his classmates. “The conversations that I’m able to have with my friends, some of the other scholars, are what I’ve cherished and valued most since arriving at Oxford,” says Hardeman. 

Much of his time is spent researching his thesis on the intersection of race and American political ideology over the past half century. It’s an interest that was sparked during his time at Temple, as a strategic communication major with a concentration in rhetoric and public advocacy. And it’s part of his plan to fulfill a commitment to “lifting up the voices of [his] community.”

—By Kyle Bagenstose, KLN ’11