Furthermore, Jewett and senior faculty members for the first time served on the selection committee for the fellowships. In the past, the committee has been made up of house officials, Jewett says. But Jewett says he wanted to be on the committee since the endorsements sent to the Rhodes and Marshall committees go out in his name.

The dean did not say whether he thought the procedure changes had made any difference. But Robert Ratcliffe, program officer for the Marshall Scholarships at the British Embassy, says the changes may have had some effect. "Although we received very few applications from Harvard as compared to Princeton and Yale, the candidates who did apply here did do well," he says. "That would seem to suggest that the written applications were quite strong."

Even though Harvard consistently wins five or six Marshalls a year, when that total is combined with this year's unusual number of Rhodes winners, "That is a particularly good figure which might mean that if the system has been improved, it did pay off," Ratcliffe says.

But whatever the reasons behind Harvard's record success this year, fellowship winners say they are pleased to have the opportunity to study or travel abroad. Many say they look forward to the chance to experience radically different cultures from any they have known before.

Patricia A. Schoor '88 says she is one of the youngest of this year's Luce Scholarship winners. The Luce, which pays for travel and work in Asia, is awarded annually to 15 people, most of whom are graduate students or are already established in their fields.

In order to qualify for the Luce, an applicant must have no background in Asian languages or civilizations. Schoor, who turned down a Fulbright Fellowship to accept the award, says she is looking forward to the opportunity to learn another language and learn about foreign affairs. The Leverett senior plans to spend part of her time working with a female member of the Japanese legislature.

Shawn A. MacDonald '88 says he will use his Rockefeller--which he calls his "dream fellowship"--to travel to Africa and Indonesia. While in Indonesia, MacDonald say he will work in a refugee camp for Southeast Asians. He chose the Rockefeller, which is restricted to Harvard seniors, because he wanted a fellowship that would allow him to work and travel rather than study.

"I specifically wanted to get away from academics," says MacDonald. MacDonald is one of many scholarship winners who say they will enjoy a reprieve from school or the workplace.

Some seniors may have turned to fellowships to escape the world of jobs or academics, but many winners say they will use their awards to help their careers. They say their fellowships will not only expose them to new worlds but also open new doors for them, giving them skills that will set them off from their peers.

The chance to study in Gottingen, West Germany, on a Fulbright grant may help Audrey Choi '88 decide whether to go into public service or become a scholar of comparative literature. While in Germany, she says she will study that country's feminism and its "inclusion of difference." And Schoor says she expects her experience in Japan will "add so much to my career."

Some, like Mark Leong '88, say that a fellowship could be a dream come true. Leong, who did his senior thesis on Chinatowns in American cities, received a Peabody Gardner traveling fellowship from the Department of Visual and Environmental Studies. He will use the money to travel and take photographs in China. He says he hopes the fellowship will give him the skills he needs to fulfill his dream to work in China as a photogrpaher.