Daniel Lesman named a 2021 Rhodes Scholar.

The Ohio State University senior Daniel Lesman has been named a 2021 Rhodes Scholar.

Lesman is Ohio State’s ninth Rhodes Scholar, and the third Buckeye to be honored in three years — an unprecedented feat in university history. Ohio State’s previous recipients were Henry Wu (2020) and Laila Ujayli (2019).

The Rhodes Scholarship was founded in 1902 and supports graduate study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Thirty-two scholarships are awarded annually to outstanding seniors and recent graduates across the United States.

“On behalf of Ohio State, we congratulate Daniel Lesman on this outstanding accomplishment. His commitment to research and service beyond self reflects the values of our university community and we are thrilled to see Daniel receive this well-deserved honor,” said President Kristina M. Johnson.

The Rhodes Trust selected Lesman for his work founding a non-profit organization that provides educational resources to homeless and at-risk students, as well as his biomedical research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), Huntington's disease, and COVID-19.

Lesman intends to dedicate his career as a physician-scientist to working with patients while continuing his research on genetic disorders, all while removing barriers to education. As a Rhodes Scholar, Lesman will utilize his experiences studying in the U.K. to learn new perspectives on research, health care, and educational policies.

Learn more about Lesman's academic achievements and service work via Ohio State honors student named 2021 Rhodes Scholar.