Tulsa, Edmond natives picked as state Rhodes Scholar semifinalists

Thursday, December 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ Two Oklahoma natives have been named finalists in the prestigious Rhodes Scholar competition and will travel to Houston Saturday to compete against other regional hopefuls.

University of Tulsa pre-medicine senior Sylvia Alajaji, 21, and OU letters senior Kyle Harper, 20, were picked from 14 students to be state finalists for the scholarships to England's Oxford University.

Alajaji graduated from Tulsa Union High School in 1997 and is the daughter of John and Knarig Alajaji. She is studying music at TU in addition to studying pre-medicine.

She said she is excited and proud to be representing Oklahoma in the competition.

``It has been a great learning experience, and I went into it thinking whatever happens will happen,'' she said. ``I was myself. I said, 'What will be will be.''

Harper, from Edmond, is the son of Rick and Kay Harper and graduated from Edmond Memorial High School in 1998. He said he wants to pursue a career in academics and politics.

Alajaji and Harper both have 4.0 GPAs.

They and the 12 other college students were interviewed for 30 minutes by a six-person committee headed by Oklahoma Corporation Commission Vice Chairwoman Denise Bode.

Bode said Alajaji ``simply captivated the committee with her passion for music.''

Harper gave the committee an ``insightful'' analysis of the U.S. political structure grounded in a historical perspective, Bode said.

``He did it in such an easy manner and with relative ease that he literally blew many of the committee members away,'' Bode said.

Harper said waiting for the interview all day was nerve-racking, but said that is how the competition is designed.

``They want to see how you'll perform and give coherent answers under pressure,'' he said.

Rhodes Scholarships, the oldest international fellowships, were initiated in 1902 and are valued at $28,000 a year.

Candidates come from 18 countries and are chosen based on the criteria set down by British philanthropist Cecil Rhodes. The criteria includes high academic achievement, integrity of character, a spirit of unselfishness, respect for others, potential for leadership and physical vigor.