Henry Ford Alumnus Emmanuel Orozco Castellanos Named Rhodes Scholar

Henry Ford College (HFC) announced that alumnus and Ecorse resident Emmanuel Orozco Castellanos has won a Rhodes Scholarship and will attend the University of Oxford in England for the 2024-25 academic year, making him the first Rhodes Scholar to have attended HFC before transferring.
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Emmanuel Orozco Castellanos
Emmanuel Orozco Castellanos

Henry Ford College (HFC) announced that alumnus and Ecorse resident Emmanuel Orozco Castellanos has won a Rhodes Scholarship and will attend the University of Oxford in England for the 2024-25 academic year, making him the first Rhodes Scholar to have attended HFC before transferring.

He earned his bachelor’s degree last December from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“I can say that I was utterly surprised when I learned that I won this scholarship. I’m still shocked and humbled,” says Castellanos. “After my final interview with the Rhodes Scholarship Committee in Detroit, District 11 Secretary Trina R. Shanks came out and read the winners’ names. When she said my name, I froze for a good 15 seconds. People started hugging me and shaking my hand and celebrating. That’s when it hit me. I was speechless.”

Established in 1902 through the will of Cecil John Rhodes, the Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest international graduate scholarship in the world and is considered one of the most prestigious. Rhodes wanted to promote unity and instill a sense of civic-minded leadership in future leaders.

Rhodes Scholars are chosen in a two-stage process. Applicants must be endorsed by their college or university. This year, more than 2,500 students began the application process and 862 were ultimately endorsed by 249 different colleges and universities. Committees of Selection in each of 16 districts in the United States then invited the strongest applicants to appear before them for interviews.

In the end, just 32 Rhodes Scholars – including Castellanos – were chosen from across the U.S. They will join an international group of scholars chosen from 70 countries around the world.

The Rhodes Trust pays for all college and university fees. It also provides a stipend to cover expenses while in residence at Oxford and transportation to and from England. The total value of the Rhodes Scholarship averages about $75,000 per year and up to as much as $250,000 for Rhodes Scholars who remain at Oxford for four years.

A native of Mexico, Castellanos is the middle of five children. His family immigrated to the U.S. when he was 17 to be closer to extended family.

Castellanos attended high school in Mexico and then completed his senior year at River Rouge High School. He enrolled at HFC after graduation. His twin sister, Luz, also attended HFC and is planning to apply to HFC’s renowned Nursing program. Castellanos and his siblings are first-generation college students.