Pharmacy Student Is Named a Rhodes Scholar

Omar M. Abuattieh, who earned the Truman Scholarship earlier this year, will receive full funding to study at the University of Oxford in England next fall

Omar M. Abuattieh, a Rutgers doctoral student at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, has been selected as a 2026 Rhodes Scholar, earning one of the most prestigious international academic honors available to college graduates.

Abuattieh is the first recipient from Rutgers to earn the honor since 1993 and the university’s ninth Rhodes scholar overall. He is the first ever selected from the School of Pharmacy.

“It means a lot to me because much of what I’ve learned from my mother and my mentors is that this is not about me,” said the 23-year-old Palestinian American from Holmdel, N.J. “My name may be listed as a Rhodes Scholar, but this is really about the community and all the people who shaped me and whom I hope to give back to.”

Now in his final year of a six-year accelerated doctorate program in pharmacy, Abuattieh is completing a clinical rotation in the emergency department at University Hospital in Newark, N.J., and is expected to graduate in May.

He said the moment he learned he had been selected as a Rhodes Scholar felt almost unreal, but Abuattieh was grateful to receive the honor.

“I know it comes with a responsibility to serve,” he said. “There are people just as deserving who didn’t receive it, and that motivates me to make the most of this chance.”

I know it comes with a responsibility to serve. There are people just as deserving who didn’t receive it, and that motivates me to make the most of this chance.

Omar M. Abuattieh

Doctoral student at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy

The honor builds on Abuattieh’s already distinguished record: Earlier this year, he earned the Truman Scholarship, one of 54 students nationwide recognized annually for their commitment to public service. 

He is one of 32 students chosen nationwide this year as a Rhodes Scholar. On Saturday, 16 independent selection committees met simultaneously throughout the United States to interview 238 finalists drawn from nearly 2,800 applicants. Rutgers is one of only 22 colleges and universities nationwide this year—and one of several public institutions—to have a student selected as a Rhodes Scholar.

The Rhodes Scholarship recognizes promising young people worldwide who demonstrate integrity, leadership, character, intellect and a commitment to service. The scholarship covers all university and college fees, provides a living stipend, and includes travel to and from Oxford in England. The estimated annual value is about $75,000, with total support reaching up to $250,000 depending on program length and field of study.

This year’s Rhodes Scholars will travel to the University of Oxford in October 2026, joining a cohort representing 22 institutions– three of which, including Rutgers, earned their first scholar in more than 25 years. 

Abuattieh said his experience at Rutgers has reaffirmed his commitment to patient-centered care and public service.

His résumé reflects that interest. As an elected representative in the township, he helped secure federal grants and organized health clinics for local residents. He is a founding member of the New Jersey Muslim Civic Coalition and, in 2023, created a scholarship fund for displaced Gazan students seeking higher education. 

On campus, he serves on the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Arab, Muslim and Palestinian Life and was a member of the Pharmacy Governing Council and Rutgers University Senate, including its Information Technology Committee from 2022 to 2023. Additionally, he founded a chapter of a non-profit, community-centered men’s basketball league and serves as its commissioner. 

He also recently completed a Strategy Realization internship at Merck Pharmaceuticals in Rahway, N.J.; published a peer-reviewed research paper analyzing inconsistencies in insurance coverage criteria; and, during a pharmacy law externship, helped defend community pharmacies that were unfairly removed from insurance networks by pharmacy benefit managers.

“This well-deserved honor reflects Omar’s relentless spirit of intellectual curiosity, rigorous scholarship, and unwavering commitment to public service,” said Rutgers University-New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway. “Omar represents the best of Rutgers, and our entire community is enormously proud of what he has accomplished. We are excited to see all that he will achieve in the future.”

Abuattieh received guidance from Rutgers-New Brunswick’s Office of Distinguished Fellowships, which mentors students through the application and interview processes for nationally and internationally competitive awards such as the Rhodes Scholarship. 

It may seem obvious, but Omar is special. There’s really nothing typical about him. He combines a top-tier intellect with a heartfelt commitment to service and an impressive depth of character. He is charting his own path, exemplifying the kinds of excellence Rutgers students can aspire to.

Anne Wallen

Director of the Office of Distinguished Fellowships at Rutgers-New Brunswick

“The Rhodes Scholarship is historically one of the most prestigious international awards, and having Omar recognized this way shows that Rutgers students merit these opportunities,” said Anne Wallen, director of the Office of Distinguished Fellowships at Rutgers-New Brunswick. 

“It may seem obvious, but Omar is special,” Wallen said. “There’s really nothing typical about him. He combines a top-tier intellect with a heartfelt commitment to service and an impressive depth of character. He is charting his own path, exemplifying the kinds of excellence Rutgers students can aspire to.”

At Oxford, Abuattieh plans to pursue graduate studies that will equip him to analyze the effectiveness of social programs and develop data-driven policy solutions.

Long term, he hopes to attend law school and build a career at the intersection of health care and public policy, with particular focus on drug reform and expanding access to affordable medications and health care.

Abuattieh said his pharmacy training gives him a distinct advantage.

“Pharmacists bring a unique perspective to the policy table,” he said. “It’s a lens I’m excited to contribute.”

Abuattieh joins an elite group at Rutgers. In 1993, two students were selected as Rhodes Scholars: entrepreneur Randal Pinkett, who graduated from the School of Engineering, and Dana L. Brown, a Rutgers College graduate who went on to become a leader in global higher education. The selection of the pair marked a first for the university and was the first time since 1953 that a Rutgers student earned the distinction.

Students interested in the Rhodes Scholarship or other competitive fellowships may contact the Office of Distinguished Fellowships.