Q&A: Catching Up with Rhodes Scholar Sarah Smierciak

When Sarah Smierciak graduated from in 2007, her classmates dubbed her "Most Likely to Succeed."

By her senior year, Smierciak was in the top two percent of her class and had received Prairie State Scholar and National Merit Commended Scholar accolades. She was the president of the National Honor Society and Model United Nations, a Mathletes state qualifier, head editor of the school newspaper, and captain of the Scholastic Bowl and girls swimming team.

She was named "Most Valuable Player" of both the swim team and speech team, was part of the school's spring musical, participated in student government and was honored in 2007 as the "Outstanding Senior English Student."

Smierciak went on to study at Northwestern University, where she earned dual degrees in history and Middle East language and civilization. She graduated summa cum laude in June 2011, and was elected to the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

After studying at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and Damascus University in Syria, Smierciak is fluent in Arabic. She has published articles on social justice, is a published photographer and is a docent of Egyptian art at Chicago's Field Museum.

In her spare time, she competes in triathlons.

On Saturday, Smierciak celebrated her biggest accomplishment to date — , one of the world's most celebrated international fellowship awards.

Rhodes Scholars receive full financial support to further their studies at the University of Oxford in England. In October 2012, Smierciak will pursue a degree in development studies, which she hopes will provide her the economic and methodological expertise to conduct research on development in the Middle East.

At just 22 years old, it's safe to say she has already succeeded.

"Everyone in our family is so thrilled for Sarah because she's really hard-working and bright and very deserving," said DJ Long, Smierciak's mother. "It's just amazing that she will be able to have this experience and further her studies."

Smierciak currently lives in Cairo where she works as an educational consultant for the Belgium-based nonprofit FACE for Children in Need. In wake of the Egyptian revolution, she is helping design a curriculum to serve Sudanese and Egyptian street children in the area.

Lemont Patch caught up with Smierciak this week to discuss the Rhodes Scholarship and what sparked her interest in the Middle East.

PATCH: What was your reaction to the news that you had been named a Rhodes Scholar?

SMIERCIAK: The whole process was incredibly quick. I had my interview at 7:50 a.m. Saturday, and by 3 p.m. the Rhodes committee filed into our waiting room and announced their decision to the 11 candidates. There was so little time to process the results.

I was deeply honored and if I had to describe my feelings in one word it would be gratitude — gratitude to my parents, to all of the professors and mentors that supported me throughout the application process and, more importantly, throughout all of my endeavors.  

PATCH: What sparked your interest in Middle East language and history?

SMIERCIAK: American involvement in Iraq and my complete ignorance of U.S. intentions and history in the region led me to a Modern Middle East history course. I was fascinated by the complex developments of colonialism, decolonization and persistent external influence in the region.

Arabic study and travel/study in the region opened an entirely new cultural and social understanding to my academic conceptions. My intellectual passion came to include an important humanitarian angle as I fell in love with the people of the region and was exposed to their suffering.

PATCH: Was there something that led you to Egypt, specifically?

SMIERCIAK: I knew I wanted to learn the Egyptian Arabic, as it is the most widely understood of the various dialects. Egypt also fascinated me for its political transformations in recent history: a one-time regional powerhouse leading Arab nationalism turned invaluable U.S. ally and Israeli trading partner.  

PATCH: Can you describe your experience working with FACE for Children and Need? What do you do and how did you come to work with the organization?

SMIERCIAK: I was awarded a grant to help FACE establish a United Nations-approved "Child Friendly School" inside a transition house for street children in a suburb of Cairo. FACE is a Belgian organization with 100-percent Egyptian employees. I work with the social workers at the Center to help recruit and integrate children who are unable to attend government schools.

When I started, the head teacher was on maternity leave so I took on the role of Arabic, math, English, social studies and science teacher. After this month of chaos subsided and the teacher took her proper role at the school, I transitioned into the much more appropriate role of curriculum creator. I work with the teacher creating daily lesson plans and weekly quizzes, as well as set larger curriculum plans for the year. I also continue to work in the classroom with the children and participate in the drop-in center informal schooling where we focus on literacy and basic math with the kids. This is part of the drop-in center and is open to all children who visit the Center.

PATCH: I understand that you're planning to pursue a degree in development studies so you can further your studies on the Middle East. Is there a particular subject or country that you're hoping to study? What's your dream job?

SMIERCIAK: I hope to study the region as a whole, as it is deeply interconnected. But perhaps because I know it best, Egypt fascinates me most.

I'm interested in researching the political transitions that emerge in the post-Revolution period. Egypt is unique in the region as its resources are many and diverse — from natural gas to tourism to the Suez Canal. I hope to study how these resources are allocated, how they can be more effectively utilized, and the role of the military and business tycoons in shaping the Egyptian economy.

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The Rhodes Trust is a British charity established in 1902 to honor the will of Cecil J. Rhodes, a British philanthropist and African colonial pioneer. Each year, the organization awards approximately 80 scholarships to students all over the world who distinguish themselves with outstanding academic achievement, leadership potential and commitment to others.

This year, 32 Americans were named Rhodes Scholars. Winners were selected from a pool of 830 candidates nominated by their colleges and universities, according to the Rhodes Scholar website.

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