Ashleigh Barnes

UTS' first Rhodes Scholar

UTS Law graduate Ashleigh Barnes won a prestigious and coveted Rhodes Scholarship in 2018, making her the university’s first ever Rhodes Scholar.

A former UTS Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of International Studies (French) student, she was one of nine outstanding Australian students selected to undertake postgraduate studies at Oxford University in the UK.

Ashleigh used her scholarship to study a Bachelor of Civil Laws (BCL) – a world-renowned graduate course for “outstanding law students from common law backgrounds” - and she graduated with distinction. She went on to earn a PhD in Law from Oxford and now teaches at the prestigeous university. 

Rhodes - not just for the elite

Arguably the most well known postgraduate scholarship in the world, the Rhodes has produced a remarkable assemblage of high profile scholars and world leaders since its inception in 1903. Today, there are over 8000 Rhodes Scholars around the world – two of which are former Australian prime ministers.

Though Ashleigh had heard of the scholarship, its elite nature initially deterred her from applying.

“I knew about it, of course, but only in the context of sandstone universities, elite sportsmen and politicians – three categories I obviously didn’t fit into.”

After she was encouraged to apply by three separate people – “a close friend from work, an academic and a university colleague” – she began to consider it more seriously, buoyed with new confidence after winning the University Medal in Law. For her, deciding to apply was just the beginning of what she describes as an “intense and transformative process”.

A sense of service

Despite its reputation for academic exclusivity, intelligence and academic excellence are only one aspect of the Rhodes Scholarship criteria. Just as important are qualities such as a “moral force of character”, strong leadership skills and a desire to promote ideas of social justice.

Imbued with a strong sense of service – something she credits to her Catholic secondary school education – Ashleigh was a well-positioned candidate. Developing an interest in law after watching the San Jose copper mine collapse on national television and learning about the mine’s long history of safety violations, she decided to pursue it as a vocation.

Acknowledged for both her academic excellence and contribution to social justice during her time at UTS Law, Ashleigh was recipient of the Dean’s Special Prize, the University Medal in Law and the Sir Gerard Brennan Justice and Leadership Award.

Professor Lesley Hitchens, Dean of UTS Law, says Ashleigh “embodies the attributes we hope to imbue in all UTS Law students; academic excellence, a commitment to justice, and a drive to innovate and excel."

Ashleigh's advice

“Do not rule yourself out," Ashleigh says. "There is no such thing as the wrong kind of degree, the wrong high school or the wrong university. Yes, the Rhodes scholarship is about intellect, leadership and mastery in extra-curricular pursuits, but it is also about truth, courage, devotion to duty and more.

If you have a vision for how you want to fight the world’s fight, back yourself and be game to have a go.”