FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the sixth consecutive year, three University of Arkansas students have been awarded prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships. Rachel Thomas of Fort Smith, Whitney Gammill of Maumelle and Jordan Greenlee of Oak Ridge, Tenn., are among 321 students in the nation to be named Goldwater Scholars. They will each receive a $7,500 scholarship. All three are juniors and students in the university Honors College.

“These students should be proud of what they’ve accomplished in earning this prestigious award,” said Chancellor John A. White. “And we can all be proud of what their achievement says about the University of Arkansas. Other universities that have three Goldwater Scholars this year include Harvard, Princeton, Duke and Stanford. Our students have once again proven that the best undergraduates at the University of Arkansas can compete with the best students anywhere in the nation.”

In the past 10 years, 30 University of Arkansas students have earned Goldwater scholarships, which is the ninth highest total of any institution in the country.  

“This record of success did not happen by chance,” said Don Bobbitt, dean of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. “We have been able to attract top-notch students to this university and give them the opportunities to excel. That’s in part a credit to our outstanding faculty and in part a tribute to the University of Arkansas Honors College, one of the leading programs in the nation.”

Goldwater Scholars are selected from a field of more than a thousand mathematics, science and engineering students, who must be nominated by their faculty mentors. They are chosen on the basis of academic merit and research experience, and are required to write a comprehensive essay about a particular research question that they have pursued.

Whitney Gammill

Whitney Gammill is a Bodenhamer Fellow majoring in chemistry in Fulbright College, with concentrations in chemistry, biochemistry and biophysical chemistry. She has a minor in gender studies. She has conducted research with her mentor, professor Andrew Proctor, and is particularly interested in human health and nutrition research, as well as biomedical research applications. After graduating she plans to earn a doctorate in chemistry and pursue a career in biomedical research while holding a university teaching position.

“Receiving a Goldwater is one of the best things that ever happened to me,” she said. “I feel like years of hard work have started to pay off.  I am so thrilled and honored to receive this award.”

Whitney Gammill is a graduate of Mount St. Mary Academy, and she is the daughter of Rick and Diane Gammill of Maumelle.

Rachel Thomas

Rachel Thomas is an Honors College Fellow and, like Gammill, is in the department of chemistry and biochemistry in Fulbright College. Thomas is a biochemistry major, with minors in French and philosophy. She has been doing protein engineering research with her mentor, professor Roger Koeppe. In the future she plans to conduct research on neurodegenerative disorders.

“After completing my M.D./Ph.D. degree in neuroscience, I plan to conduct biomedical research relating to neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In addition, I hope to treat patients at a medical university,” Thomas said.

She graduated from Southside High School and is the daughter of Lawrence and Ramona Thomas of Fort Smith.

“Our faculty are thrilled that Rachel and Whitney’s academic efforts have been recognized with such a prestigious award,” said Bill Durham, chair of the department of chemistry and biochemistry. “Apparently a strong academic record and an enthusiastic involvement in research is a good formula for success, as evidenced by the strong Goldwater tradition developing in our department.” 

Jordan Greenlee

Jordan Greenlee is a Chancellor’s Scholar in the electrical engineering department of the College of Engineering, where he is majoring in mathematics and electrical engineering. He has worked with associate professor Magda El-Shenawee on research involving breast cancer detection, developing a new and more realistic breast model based on computational biology and mathematics methods. He plans to earn a doctoral degree in applied mathematics.

“When I heard the news about the Goldwater Scholarship, I was overjoyed and did not even know what to say,” Greenlee said. “Receiving this scholarship has been a goal of mine ever since first hearing about it at the honors orientation, which was even before I started my first class at the University of Arkansas. I am extremely honored and blessed to be awarded this scholarship.”

Greenlee is the son of Douglas and Anita Greenlee of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and graduated from Oak Ridge High School.

“We are very proud of Jordan’s accomplishment,” said Samir El-Ghazaly, head of the electrical engineering department. “The fact that one of our students won an award as prestigious as the Goldwater is indicative of the quality of engineering students that we work with at the University of Arkansas.” 

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry M. Goldwater, and the first scholarships were awarded in 1988. The purpose of the program is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields. Universities and colleges may nominate up to four students each year.

A Goldwater scholarship was first awarded to a UA student in 1990. Previous Goldwater Scholars from the University of Arkansas include a Rhodes Scholar, a Marshall Scholar, a Gates Cambridge Scholar, a Fulbright Scholar, a Udall Scholar and seven National Science Graduate Fellows. They have pursued doctoral work at prestigious programs including University of Virginia, University of Michigan, University of California-Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania, Cambridge, Columbia, Cornell, MIT, St. Andrews (Scotland), Oxford, Princeton, Stanford and Washington University.