WASHINGTON (AP) -- Thirty-two American students, including a student from Brigham Young University, have been selected as Rhodes scholars. A cancer survivor, a Dominican immigrant who developed expertise in science while learning to speak English and a student body president who led an effort to discourage the waving of the Confederate flag at school sports events are among those on the list. Rhodes scholarships provide two or three years' study at Oxford University in England. The Rhodes scholarships, oldest of the international study awards available to American students, were created in 1902 by the will of Cecil Rhodes, British philanthropist and colonial pioneer. With the selections announced late Saturday, 2,854 American students have won Rhodes scholarships since the first selection in 1903. The 32 recipients were chosen from 909 applicants endorsed by 310 colleges and universities. Ninety-six applicants from 67 colleges and universities reached the final stage of the competition, said Elliott Gerson, American secretary of the Rhodes Scholarship Trust. Here is a list of the 32 new American Rhodes Scholars, listed by district:
District I -- Christopher L. Douglas, Southboro, Mass., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cary C. Franklin, Avon, Conn., Yale University; Dena Pedynowski, Succasunna, N.J., Drew University; William R. Polkinghorn, Santa Monica, Calif., Colby College. District II -- Antonio Delgado, Schenectady, N.Y., Colgate University; Jonathan Finer, Norwich, Vt., Harvard College; Siobhan K. Peiffer, Southampton, N.Y., Yale University; Erin V. Whelan, Monroe, N.Y., Iona College. District III -- Jennifer L. Bumgarner, Hickory, N.C., Wake Forest University; Jeffrey D. Manns, Wynnewood, Pa., University of Virginia; Carla J. Peterman, South Orange, N.J., Howard University; Jose D. Vargas, Gaithersburg, Md., Loyola College in Maryland, a native of the Domincan Republic who developed an interest in science while learning English. District IV -- Mary Anne Franks, Pine Bluff, Ark., Loyola University New Orleans; Neil A. Hattangadi, Orlando, Fla., Duke University; Beth A. Shapiro, Lindale, Ga., University of Georgia; Samuel Calvin Thigpen, Jackson, Miss., University of Mississippi, who led a drive to discourage the waving of the Confederate flag at sports events. District V -- Erin A. Bohula, Park Forest, Ill., University of Chicago; Walter R. Cooper, Carmel, Ind., U.S. Military Academy; Maureen N. Dunne, Downers Grove, Ill., University of Chicago; Margaret C. Gleason, Louisville, Ky., Saint Louis University. District VI -- Jennifer R. Gruber, Omaha, Neb., Boston University; kash K. Kapur, Minneapolis, Harvard College; Mira Lutgendorf, Iowa City, Iowa, University of Chicago; Antwaun L. Smith, St. Joseph, Mo., University of Missouri. District VII -- Bobak Robert Azamian, Boise, Rice University; Sean M. Braswell, Denton, Texas, University of Texas at Austin; Manuel-Julian R. Montoya, Mora, N.M., University of New Mexico; Navin Narayan, Fort Worth, Texas, Harvard College, a cancer survivor and chairman of the National Advisory Commitee of the American Red Cross. District VIII -- Karen Y. Matsuoka, Los Angeles, Stanford University; Lisa A. Poyneer, Renton, Wash., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Ryan M. Rowberry, Henderson, Nev., Brigham Young University; Alon Unger, Phoenix, Arizona State University.