WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. -- Senior
Cole Mason (Fort Collins, Colorado), captain of the Williams Men's Swimming and Diving Team, has been named a 2023 Rhodes Scholar. Mason is the 41st Williams Rhodes recipient, 21
st Williams athlete and 3
rd member of the Men's Swimming and Diving Team to earn the prestigious award.
The Rhodes Scholarship is widely considered to be one of the most esteemed scholarships for undergraduate students, funding up to three years of postgraduate study at the University of Oxford in England. This year, there were 862 total applicants and 32 Rhodes Scholarship recipients across the United States. Rhodes Scholars are selected according to four pillars: academic excellence, energy to pursue talents, kindness, and leadership ability. "I knew it was a long shot, but I figured these are principles I live my life by anyways, so I decided to go for it," said Mason of his decision to apply. After a rigorous and long-winded application process, Mason traveled home to Colorado where it was announced that he had won the Rhodes Scholarship. "People said that when they announced my name, my face went completely white," said Mason. "I was hugging people, and saying thank you, and I just immediately wanted to call my dad and tell him I got it. I was very shocked."
Mason is an accomplished swimmer for Williams. Over his three seasons with the Ephmen, Mason has accumulated six top-8 finishes at NESCAC championship meets in breaststroke, individual medley, and distance freestyle events. Mason also earned the NESCAC All-Sportsmanship award in 2023 and is a three-time NESCAC All-Academic honoree. More significant, though, is Mason's supportive leadership presence and positive energy on the pool deck, which is felt by both teammates and coaches.
Oliver Schalet, a junior on the Williams Men's Swimming and Diving Team, attested that Mason is a "wonderful captain" who fosters a fun, uplifting environment while promoting hard work. "Cole leads with warmth and kindness, exemplifying our team goals in and out of the water," Schalet said. "He works incredibly hard in everything he does but maintains a humorous, light attitude that infects everyone around him. He never fails to crack a contagious smile, and he's always there to offer a helping hand. I'm glad the Rhodes Scholarship has recognized what a special person Cole is – he's incredibly deserving."
"Cole leads with a strong sense of self and right/wrong," noted Williams head coach
Steve Kuster. "He's not an in-your-face motivator, rather a put an arm around you motivator. This is a huge honor and, in my mind, so well deserved. Seeing all of Cole's hard work in so many different areas come together and be recognized with this scholarship is truly heartwarming. I couldn't be happier for him."
Mason feels that his experience with the Williams Swimming and Diving Team has been instrumental to his personal development. "The application process took a lot of self-reflection, and looking back on swimming the last couple of years taught me how important it is to my life and how much discipline it has nurtured in me," said Mason. He also asserted that the skills he gained from swimming helped him grow into a stronger applicant for the scholarship. "The Rhodes values leadership that comes from teamwork settings. The team helped me nurture my leadership skills as I went through the program, as an upperclassman the last two years and as a captain this year," he said. "Being a captain has given me a new perspective on the team. It's helped me learn how to work with different people and communicate needs in a group."
Outside of the pool, Mason is a political science and environmental studies double major, co-president of the class of 2023, co-president of the Williams a capella group The Octet, and a former Junior Advisor to the class of 2025. He is also completing a thesis under Professors Laura Martin and Sarah Jacobson, in which he is investigating interactions between the ski resort and fossil fuel industries in Colorado.
Mason plans to spend two years at Oxford pursuing a Master of Policy and a Master of Science in Nature, Society, and Environmental Governance. Mason's passion for environmental policy traces back to his roots in Fort Collins. "Growing up, I had such an affinity for the outdoors, yet I'm from a region in Colorado that's leading the state in oil and gas production," he said. "It felt really contradictory that both of those things exist there, so I was interested in those subjects from a young age."
Being a Rhodes Scholar harbors plenty of excitement, but Mason is most looking forward to living somewhere new. "I've never been abroad so I'm excited to be in the UK. I'm also really excited to pursue academics in a different environment. I've loved Williams and liberal arts but it will be nice to narrow in and pursue my interests," he said.
As a well-rounded student, a dedicated swimmer, and an empathetic leader, Mason is an integral member of the Williams community who embodies the core values of the Rhodes Trust. In all the exhilaration and emotion of winning the Rhodes Scholarship, Mason feels thankful for the support of the Williams community and the Williams Swimming and Diving Team. "I simply would not be here without Williams Swim and Dive," said Mason. "I'm very grateful to my team."
