Press Releases

Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01) celebrated four high achieving students from New Jersey’s 1st Congressional District for receiving the Rhodes Scholarship and Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The Rhodes Scholarship winner, Veronica Lucian of Mickleton, is a U.S. Military Academy cadet who Congressman Norcross nominated to West Point in 2018. The Gilman Scholarship winners are Bielka Gonzalez of Pennsauken, Soverno Chen of Cherry Hill, and Jade Hingtgen of Palmyra.

“It’s always remarkable to see the achievements of South Jersey students, but to have four Rhodes and Gilman scholarship winners in one year is incredible,” said Congressman Norcross. “These scholarships can be life changing. They allow our best and brightest to study in other countries and develop as leaders in their fields. These four recipients have made our communities proud, and I cannot wait to see what Veronica, Bielka, Soverno, and Jade accomplish in the future.”

The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship is one of the most distinguished scholarships provided by the U.S. Department of State. Benjamin A. Gilman scholars receive funding and support to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.

The Rhodes Scholarship is a fully-funded postgraduate award to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1903, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world and among the most prestigious. Each year, 32 students from the United States are selected for the scholarship.