Tunica, Miss., native Arielle Hudson is a 2020 graduate of the University of Mississippi and is the university’s 27th Rhodes Scholar and the first African American woman to receive the honor at the university.

Arielle majored in secondary English education with endorsements in history and special education. In 2017, Arielle created her personal platform, Literacy L.I.G.H.T.S, which stands for Literacy Lets Individuals Gain Height to Success, to help combat the illiteracy rate in the state of Mississippi by hosting resourceful workshops for parents and providing literacy materials and books to underprivileged youth. Arielle has volunteered and advocated for literacy programs such as JumpStart, the Lafayette Literacy Council and the Marks Education Project.

Arielle has a strong desire to build more informed and aware U.S. citizens through her future work as a civil rights attorney, educator and policymaker. She is a strong advocate for voting and civic engagement. She served as the president of the Black Student Union and the chairperson of the Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement committee in the Associated Student Body Senate at the University of Mississippi. She was one of the students who co-authored the student body resolution to have the Confederate monument on the University of Mississippi’s campus relocated from the heart of campus to the Confederate cemetery.