College of Charleston Student Receives Rotary Grant

College of Charleston Honors College senior Adeline Ríos has received the Rotary Ambassadorial Global Grant. This esteemed scholarship, typically awarded to one student from South Carolina each year, provides $45,000 for international graduate study in a field that aligns with one of Rotary’s areas of focus. This year, the Rotary District of South Carolina awarded two grants because of the competitive applicant pool.

Ríos is a triple major in political science, international studies and Spanish with a concentration in Latin and Caribbean studies and a minor in and Portuguese studies. During her academic journey at the College, she has maintained a 4.0 grade point average.  

“I am thrilled that Adeline was selected to receive the Rotary Global Grant,” says Sidney Woram, associate director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards. “Adeline is distinct not only for her insight and humility but also for her commitment to serving others and willingness to go the extra mile.“

Last year, Ríos was also named a finalist for the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships.  

RELATED: Find out more about Adeline Ríos in this College of Charleston Magazine story.

Throughout her academic journey, Ríos has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service and global engagement. She has served as an administrative assistant at the Levante. Ande. Recomece. (LAR) Institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she organized outreach activities to empower the homeless population and facilitated access to essential services. Additionally, she has taught underserved students in the favela community of Rio de Janeiro through the Mais Caminhos NGO, advocating for student leadership and wellbeing.  

In addition to her public service, Ríos has excelled in various academic and extracurricular activities. She has been a research fellow with the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, conducting community outreach and leading citizen-science mobilization efforts. As a marketing and recruitment ambassador for the American Institute of Foreign Studies, she has worked to make studying abroad more accessible for low-income and ethnically diverse students.  

Academically at the College of Charleston, Ríos served as an intern for the College’s Environmental Health and Safety and an instructor in the Honors College, teaching issues of race, sexuality and Southern U.S. history to freshmen. She is currently involved in the Global Ambassador Program, the Global Scholars Program and the International Scholars Program. She is also working currently on her bachelor’s essay, which she plans to publish in English, Spanish and Portuguese.  

Her achievements have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Colonial Scholarship for academic and campus excellence, the Boren Scholarship for Portuguese language study in Brazil and the John S. Linkais Scholarship for commitment to social justice.  

After graduating from College of Charleston, Ríos plans to pursue a master’s degree in peace building and conflict resolution in the UK.