Evelyn O'Callaghan, a 23-year-old advocate for women's advancement, has become the trailblazer in history by being the first woman recommended for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, previously available exclusively to men. Her philosophy emphasises women gaining confidence and equal recognition in their work. Evelyn, born in Nigeria and raised in Montego Bay, demonstrated resilience by reapplying after a temporary setback in 1977.

PUBLISHED SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1977

Jamaica’s first Woman Rhodes Scholar

By Winsome Thorpe

A FIRM believer in the advancement of women, a movement not to be used in the aggressive sense, but as an area by which women gain confidence in themselves and to be on equal terms with men in regard to recognition for work done, is 23-year-old Evelyn O’Callaghan of Montego Bay.  Such philosophy of hers was the contributing factor that created precedence in history, making her the first woman to be recommended for the much-coveted Rhodes Scholarship, which hitherto had been made available to men only.

Her nomination for the 1978 award (Rhodes Scholarship), which opened to women only last year on the decision of the Rhodes Trustees, has resulted in Evelyn being the trailblazer for other women to take up the challenge.  Her appearance before the selecting committee this year was not the first as she had already made history by being the first female applicant to be interviewed when the scholarship was thrown open to women.

She did not make it last year, and far from being disturbed by this temporary failure, the ambitious Evelyn, more mature and more confident about what she wanted in life, faced the Rhodes selecting panel a second time, an occasion on which she triumphed.

Evelyn, born in Ibadan, Nigeria, is the eldest of four children for her parents, Montego Bay Engineer Mr Patrick O’Callaghan and his wife Nora.  She has been living in Montego Bay from the age of two.

She received her preparatory education at Mt Alvernia in Montego Bay and then went to the high school there, where she was successful in nine subjects at the Ordinary Level of the G.C.E. and four subjects at the Advanced Level English language, art, history and geography, gaining distinctions in the first two. On completing her education at Mt Alvernia in 1973, Evelyn went to the University College of Cork in Ireland and was highly successful in her studies there after three years, achieving first-class honours in philosophy and English.  She is now working towards her master's, which she hopes to achieve next year in time to take up the Rhodes award at the University of Oxford, where she will read for her doctorate in English.  That is if the Rhodes Trustees approve her nomination.

Prior to her studies abroad, Evelyn involved and extended herself in activities at both school and community levels. During her school life she held various positions as house captain, prefect and was always in the forefront in drama and debating events.  As a sixth-former, she saw the need to help the less fortunate through the Community College Adult Literacy Programme and spent one year as a teacher in the JAMAL programme in Montego Bay.

 

This was an area that Evelyn sakd that she enjoyed as she believed in helping people to help themselves.  As a prep student, she showed great potential in creative writing and tried her hand at verses, which later developed into poems during her high school level. Her work, which was considered of a fairly good standard, always featured in her school agmazine.

She also developed a love for writing to such an extent that she wrote human-interest articles about situations in the country, some of which were published in Jamaica.  At Cork, she concentrates chiefly on short stories.

Evelyn has been held in high esteem by her associates, both young and old, for her pleasant disposition and sense of humility.  And during my conversation with her, it could be observed that her educational feat had in no way altered these characteristics, which have endeared her to so many.  Such a rare display in someone who had just achieved a first in paving the road for other women.

She told me that she was very busy with her studies at Cork and knew nothing about Rhodes being opened to women and was made aware of it only when her mother sent her the forms and encouraged her to make a try for the scholarship.  She saw it as a challenge and an opportunity, which she felt any qualified woman should make a go at and provide strong competition to the opposite sex. Moreover, it would be a great feat if a woman could snatch the award from the men the first year it was open to the fairer sex.

So her next move was to fill out the forms and sent them to the authorities.  She received the telegram some months later informing her to report for an interview, and for her, the first hurdle had been crossed by being accepted to sit before the selecting committee.

On the day of the interview, she realised that she was the only female in the batch.  She was somewhat disappointed, the urge was for her to go in there and do well for herself and also to provide that booster to encourage the women of Jamaican percentage.  According to Evelyn, she was more calm than nervous as she knew not what trend the interview would take.  And the actual interview found her very relaxed mainly because of the pleasant atmosphere created by members of the committee.

She was not successful in her bid for the 1977 award, but Evelyn saw it as a worthwhile experience, and most important, that she had the stamina to try.  At the time she did not give any though to a second attempt, but so confident were her parents in her, as well as her former head mistress, Sister Joan Clare, that they all boosted her courage for her to try again this year, and she did.

Her experience this year found her more confident with her maturity and more sure of her true goals.  Somewhat edgy, she faced the Rhodes Committee for the second time, and she was all sincere.  At the end of the interview, she felt very relieved, and although unaware as to what the outcome would be, she felt within herself that she had got across to the panel her sincerity of purpose as to her future plans.

The wait for the results followed.  It was good news for her, and she just could not believe that she had made it.  History followed history in that instead of the usual handshake to the successful applicant, there was a difference: kisses.  The male applicants were glad for her success, and they displayed it by showering her with kisses.

Yes, Evelyn is happy about achieving this feat for two main reasons.  She has justified the belief in her by her parents and others who felt she could make it. But more important, that she was able to perform in such a manner that her counterparts would heighten their confidence to go forward.  “Evelyn has made it, so why can’t I”, should be the motto of the 1979 aspirants, said Evelyn with a smile.

On the lighter side of our conversation, Evelyn told the story of the black dress she bought specially for the first interview last year.    Well, whether it was the black dress or not, she has finally made it.  As a believer in the Women’s Movement, Evelyn has been contributing a lot to the country.

Women are endowed with gifts, but over the years, they were content to take second place to men, an action inherited, is an opinion expressed by Evelyn.  She said that  regardless of sex, women should now attain the strength and  confidence to make it to the top whether in education or aspects of running the country.  When reached, they should not only assert quality, but develop excellence and thus prove themselves worthy.

A Roman Catholic worshipper, Evelyn lists her hobbies as swimming, table tennis, music, creative dancing, reading, and cycling.  She cycled two miles daily to and from college.

Naturally, her parents and other members of her family are a proud bunch as to the achievement.

Evelyn will be returning to Jamaica at the end of her studies to contribute to the country’s educational development.

We salute her and wish her even greater success.

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