THREE UA STUDENTS SELECTED AS BARRY GOLDWATER SCHOLARS FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - For the third consecutive year, three University of Arkansas students claimed Barry Goldwater Scholarships, 18 in total for the campus' history since the Goldwater Program was established in 1988.

The University will add to that list Ben A. Hood from Benton, Erin M. Scherer of Little Rock and Matthew J. Whitley of Little Rock.

"We have more Barry Goldwater Scholars on our campus right now with eight than most campuses have in their history," said Suzanne McCray, office of post-graduate fellowships director. "Our success in this program offers ample proof of just how competitive our students are at the national level."

The first such scholarship was awarded to a UA student in 1991, and since that time, the University has produced 18 Goldwater scholars in just 10 years. This year, the U of A grabbed more recipients than the upper echelon schools of Stanford, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Penn State and Yale.

"Each year a university can nominate four students, and we took three," McCray said. "That is phenomenal to have done that now for three years running."

A physics and computer science engineering major, Hood is also a Bodenhamer Scholar and recently received the Admiral William C. Bryson Scholarship. He is the only UA student ever to twice win the nationally competitive Tylenol Scholarship, awarded for outstanding academic performance and leadership.

Hood was recognized for establishing the Hunger Banquet on the UA campus to increase student awareness of global issues. He has completed three internships including one last summer at the NASA Ames Research Center.

Whitley is a sophomore majoring in biochemistry. He is a Chancellor's Scholar, Arkansas Distinguished Governor's Scholar and National Merit Scholar. He plans a career in university research and teaching.

Scherer is a junior biochemistry major and has twice been involved in undergraduate research programs. She has served as an intern at the National Center of Toxicological Research and the Department of Pharmacology at UAMS in connection with the National Institute of Drug Administration.

The three students will each receive $7,500 per year for tuition, books and room and board - a gift that enables them to devote other funds to individual research projects in zoology and biochemistry. According to the Goldwater Foundation, scholars are selected for their outstanding academic records and their commitment to pursue careers in the disciplines of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.

McCray said each applicant goes through a rigorous evaluation process within the University before an application is even mailed. A committee of UA faculty members from a variety of scientific fields examines each student's application and project proposal and offers advice on how to present the material in an intelligent, clear manner.

Though the prize money is small compared to many national scholarships, the Goldwater Fellowship remains one of the most prestigious and competitive awards available to undergraduates. To qualify for a Goldwater Fellowship, applicants typically hold a GPA of 3.9 or higher and must be entering their junior or senior years in college. Furthermore, the scholarship committee looks for prior involvement in research or experience working in a lab environment.

Students who meet these qualifications must then submit a research proposal, outlining a project that not only fits the applicant’s field of interest but also bears significance for the scientific community as a whole.

Other universities that received three Barry Goldwater scholarships for the 2001-2002 academic year include: UCLA, Cornell, Furman, Grinnell, Hope, University of Idaho, Kansas State, University of Minnesota, MIT, Mount Holyoke, North Dakota State, University of Nebraska, University of New York, Northwestern, Occidental College, University of Oklahoma, Pomona, Southern California, Texas A & M, University of Tulsa, University of Washington and Williams College.