The Rhodes to success: Saint Lucia’s first Rhodes Scholar reflects on his journey

When 24-year-old Rahym Augustin-Joseph boards his flight in the coming days to head to the United Kingdom, it will mark the next step in a journey that began in the quaint community of Bexon and has carried him to the doorstep of one of the world’s most prestigious academic opportunities, the Rhodes Scholarship.

Augustin-Joseph, the first Saint Lucian to be awarded the scholarship, will pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford. When he first received the news in November 2024, he said it felt almost beyond belief. Now, with his departure fast approaching, that sense of disbelief lingers – tempered by a cautious optimism about the journey ahead.

“I think it was a surreal moment,” he recalled. 

“You see these sorts of global opportunities. You see these statistics of the 0.001 per cent among other things that dissuade you or make the task of receiving such a scholarship quite daunting. But in the moment of receiving it, I felt humbled. I felt honored. I felt proud of my own ability. I felt a sense of validation that some of the academic work that I have put in… There was a sense of reward as a result of all of that hard work.”

From early childhood, Augustin-Joseph’s path was defined early by discipline and determination. He attended the St. Mary’s College, then Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, where he graduated as valedictorian with multiple first class honours. That trend continued when he  proceeded to the University of the West Indies, Cavehill where he once again delivered the valedictory address, cementing a reputation for academic excellence matched by a growing confidence as a debater and public speaker.

While being the first Saint Lucian to be awarded the Rhodes Scholarship is a personal triumph, he hopes through this opportunity, a path will be lit for others.

“There is no point in being the first if it does not pave the way for others,” he said. 

“The real badge of honour is being able to create an environment in which it can serve as inspiration for others to be able to also follow in that path.”

That sense of responsibility also informs his academic focus. Augustin-Joseph has long observed the shortcomings in the way policy is shaped across the Caribbean, where decisions are often influenced more by anecdotes and political expediency than by research and data. It is a gap he hopes to help address. At Oxford, he will pursue a master’s in public policy, a field he believes is central to strengthening governance in the region.

“I’m interested in governance, I’m interested in how the society and how actors within the political system arrive at public policy,” he explained. 

“There’s still an over-reliance on anecdotal information… I want to be able to contribute to evidence-based, reasoned, and nuanced decision making.”

While his academic ambitions are clear, Augustin-Joseph is equally motivated by the opportunity to connect with peers across the globe and participate in experiences he otherwise would not have the opportunity to.

“For the most part, I want to be able to experience some of the cultures of the world and meet many young people across the world who are doing fantastic work… but ultimately how that could help better Saint Lucia.”

Being the first of anything brings its own pressures, and carrying the title of Saint Lucia’s first Rhodes Scholar is no exception. For Augustin-Joseph, the achievement comes with the weight of expectation from a nation watching closely. Yet rather than seeing it as a burden, he embraces it as a responsibility – one that calls for humility, focus, and service.

“My main focus has been and will always continue to be the immersion of myself into the work and doing the best that I can with what I have available,” he said. 

“To whom much is given, much is expected. So I’m honored to have received much and… I also want to give off much.”

That mindset extends to his advice for other young Saint Lucians who may hesitate to reach for global opportunities. He believes that self-doubt, more than ability, is often the greatest obstacle.

“Anybody in Saint Lucia, once you are committed to hard work and you put in the work, can achieve global excellence. There is no greater story than that.”

Even as he prepares for Oxford, Augustin-Joseph’s focus is not only on his studies but also on the challenges at home. Holding a double major in political science and law, he offered a candid assessment of the current political landscape in Saint Lucia.

“We are at a point where the people of Saint Lucia are very critical of the leadership that they are afforded and the representation that they are receiving,” he said. 

“They are clamoring for more. They are clamoring for better. And I think in large part that is justified. The onus is on those who currently occupy leadership positions and those who aspire to such positions to ensure that they listen, that they are empathetic, and that they engage in a way that ensures that governance is participatory and ultimately redounds to the benefit of the people.”

And while his immediate focus is on academic growth and global exposure, his reflections on leadership and governance suggest that his journey may one day bring him back to serve at the highest levels of decision-making in Saint Lucia.

For Saint Lucia, Rahym Augustin-Joseph’s selection marks the first time a national has earned this distinction – a milestone achievement with the potential to inspire many more to follow in his footsteps.