Fair Haven Woman Chosen As Rhodes Scholar

FAIR HAVEN, NJ— A Fair Haven native has been selected as a 2017 Rhodes Scholar, the Rhodes Trust announced Sunday. She is the only New Jersey resident to be selected.

Laura A. Courchesne, a senior at the University of Georgia, was awarded the prestigious scholarship to continue her research at Oxford University.

She is a economics and religion major, researching destabilization, conflict, and peacekeeping at top tier universities, including Princeton and Oxford. Internships have included the International Red Cross and the Carter Center, and she worked in Bali researching terrorism.

Courchesne's thesis focused on the impact of American drone strikes on local communities. At Oxford, she plans to earn a M.Sc. in Social Anthropology and a M.Sc. in Politics Research.

A 2013 graduate of Rumson Fair Haven Regional High School, Courchesne has another impressive accomplish under her belt: perfect attendance during her time at the University of Georgia.

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