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Thorold native Ffion Hughes named Rhodes Scholar

Having battled wildfires in India and anorexia in her teen years, Ffion Hughes, age 22, is continuing to fight for social justice.
Ffion
Ffion Hughes, Thorold native, Rhodes Scholar. Submitted Photo

Growing up in Thorold, she was that rare type of child who asked for food donations to Community Care at her birthday parties instead of presents.

Recently presented with a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, and headed for Oxford University in the fall, “I have to admit that I'm not yet certain of my future path,” Hughes told Thorold News. “I intend to pursue a Master's degree in History at Oxford, potentially followed by a Master's in Public Policy. I then hope to return to Canada for law school, in order to work as a lawyer for clients experiencing homelessness, mental illness, or addiction. I think that I'd like to live in Québec for the long-term, as it really feels like my adopted home.”

This, she explained, is “because I'm quite involved in the local community. While I started volunteering fairly young, it was not until I was a young adult that I realized my true passion for working with individuals experiencing homelessness. When I was 18, I was undergoing full-time treatment for anorexia, which left me with a lot of anxiety and free time. As a result, I got involved with local homeless shelters, first in Toronto, then in St. Catharines, and now in Montreal. I am honoured to work with the shelters' wonderful clients, many of whom are unfortunately trapped in a cycle of poverty, marginalization, and structural violence.”

She added, “COVID has only heightened this vulnerability.”

While pursuing her Honours BA in History at McGill University, and volunteering extensively at local shelters, Hughes also served on the Senate Committee on Student Services, improving student access to essential psychological support services.

Her exemplary academic success was launched at Prince of Wales School in Thorold, where she completed grade 4 before switching to French Immersion at Prince Philip School in Niagara Falls, continuing the French program at AN Myer Secondary School.

In grade 11, she was accepted to attend the United World College system, “a network of progressive international schools across the globe,” and completed her International Baccalaureate studies at the Mahindra United World College of India.

Living on campus about five hours from Mumbai, in a “beautiful rural area” that’s “rather prone to wildfires,” Hughes joined the campus Fire Service, helping protect the biodiversity reserve surrounding her school.

“When a fire was spotted, an alarm would sound on campus, signalling Fire Service members to drop what we were doing and to go gear up,” she recalled. “Then we'd run out to the location of the fire, where we'd beat it out” by starving the fire of oxygen. “We didn't use water given the remote location of the fires. It was quite a thrill.”

Her stint in India lasted a year and a half, “cut short” by anorexia.

“My struggle with anorexia has definitely spurred my empathy for those experiencing mental health and addictions issues,” she said. “Although I can't claim to understand everything they are experiencing, I know that mental illness can truly take over one's mind and one's life. And based on my own experiences, I'm very aware that it can be extremely difficult to find treatment for mental health issues.”

Ffion credits her father, the late Brock University professor Alun Hughes, a renowned passionate historian, researcher and author of “History Made in Niagara,” for “sparking my interest in history. His historical research meant that I spent much of my early childhood at museums, libraries, archives, historic sites, and historical society meetings. Although I'll admit that I sometimes got bored, I realize now that these experiences fuelled my fascination with the past. My dad passed away when I was 14, but I've taken on the mantle of the family history geek.”