FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas Honors College has selected six incoming freshmen as this year’s recipients of the Bodenhamer Fellowship. The $70,000 award for each student is among the most prestigious the university offers to undergraduates, and cultivates a strong sense of community among current and alumni members.

The 2017 Bodenhamer Fellows are:

• Anna Fisher of Mountain Home
• Hannah Gray of Little Rock
• Samuel Lipson of Fayetteville
• Andrew Palmer of Bentonville
• Grace Roberts of Germantown, Tennessee
• Savannah Seupaul of Little Rock

This year’s group embraces a wide range of interests and skills, from robotics and engineering to medicine, Model United Nations and architecture.

The Bodenhamer Foundation, acting through its trustee, Lee Bodenhamer (B.S.B.A. 1957, M.B.A. 1961), established the Bodenhamer Fellowships in 1998. In order to be eligible for the award students must score at least a 32 on the ACT and have a grade point average of 3.8 or higher. Extracurricular activities, community service, and evidence of leadership, intellectual curiosity and creativity are also considered in the selection process.

In addition to covering the normal cost of attending the university, the fellowship may be used for study abroad, attendance at professional and educational conferences, research and special equipment that a fellow may need.

“The 2017 cohort of Bodenhamer Fellows will pursue an extraordinary range of academic interests: philosophy of management, biological sciences, engineering and design-build,” said Honors College Dean Lynda Coon. “Their civic engagement activities match their intellectual prowess and range from promoting women in STEM and working with cancer patients to building sustainable architecture from recycled materials.”

The new Bodenhamer students will join a group of 132 fellows who have benefited from the generous support of the Bodenhamer family. Alumni fellows are excelling in a wide range of career paths, from cybersecurity to opera performance to leadership development in the Delta. Many are pursuing advanced degrees at universities such as Harvard, Vanderbilt and Yale.

On July 31, the new class of Bodenhamer Fellows will travel to New York City for a five-day trip that includes visits to the Statue of Liberty, the Guggenheim Museum, the United Nations and the Empire State Building. An annual tradition that is funded by Dr. Bodenhamer, the summer trip helps build bonds among the new Bodenhamer fellows.

2017 Bodenhamer Fellows

Anna Fisher is a graduate of Mountain Home High School and is planning to study engineering. She is a National Merit finalist and an active member of her school’s robotics team, where she served as the Robot, Pit and Safety Captain and established an all-women team to advocate for greater female involvement in STEM fields in her community. Her interest in robotics and engineering has sent her to Washington, D.C., to support STEM legislation and to Shanghai, China, to teach robotics workshops to local students. Fisher served as president of the student council her junior and senior years and earned state recognition for her contributions to the organization. She has devoted her time to a wide variety of school and community organizations as a four-year member of the National Honor Society, five-year member of the Future Farmers of America, treasurer of the German Club, former member of the varsity track and field team and longtime volunteer with the local food bank. She is the daughter of David and Tracy Fisher.

Hannah Gray is a graduate of eStem High Public Charter School in Little Rock, where she maintained a 4.4 GPA while juggling her duties as Senior Cabinet historian as well as a course load that included more than 10 AP courses. She was a competitive gymnast for seven years, earning a state championship title, before deciding to focus on coaching at her training gym River City, where she has been working with young athletes for the past three years. Gray’s passion for architecture led her to participate in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design’s Architecture Camp in 2014. She also participated in her school’s Noble Impact program, a three-year entrepreneurship course during which she held a year-long apprenticeship at Cromwell Architects & Engineers. For her first project at the company she helped design a Habitat for Humanity home from shipping containers. She is the daughter of Gary Gray and Teresa Gray.

Samuel Lipson is a graduate of Haas Hall Academy in Fayetteville, and plans to major in management. He maintained a 4.31 GPA while enrolled in more than 10 AP courses during his high school career, scoring a 36 composite on the ACT. He is a National Merit finalist and an active member of myriad clubs and societies, including Quiz Bowl, the Philosophy Club, the National Honor Society and the Boy Scouts of America. Lipson earned the Lifestyles Volunteer of the Year award for his Eagle Scout project, for which he designed and built a social space for adults with learning disabilities. He also lent his name to an award created by his local troop for those who exhibit the spirit of service upheld by the Boy Scouts. Lipson has devoted hundreds of volunteer hours to community organizations and Opportunity Belize, an international educational program for children. In addition, he directed his school’s talent show, served as the Voice of the Mastiffs at basketball games and was a semifinalist in the U.S. Department of Education’s Presidential Scholars Program. He is the son of Andrew and Sherri Lipson.

Andrew Palmer is a graduate of Bentonville High School, where he reestablished and served as president of the Biology Club, managing his school’s involvement in both Science Olympiad and Biology Olympiad. He also created a student-to-student tutoring program for those struggling in their biology courses. He presided over the Model United Nations Club, served as a member of the National Honor Society and is a National Merit finalist. Palmer has volunteered in activities ranging from children’s creative workshops to an Eagle Scout project in which he renovated rooms for the Samaritan House Fellowship. These rooms will now be used to provide educational opportunities for underserved populations. He plans to major in biology. He is the son of Philip and Janet Palmer.

Grace Roberts graduated from Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee, where her excellent performance in advanced courses earned her a 4.68 GPA. She also earned the distinction of National Merit Commended Scholar in 2016. She has overseen a wide variety of community service projects as a member of her school’s Honors Academy, working with her school’s Project St. Jude Club and the Target House to coordinate events, fundraisers and donation drives. She founded her own therapy program called Reading Scouts, which aims to promote a love of reading and learning in young children. Roberts was one of only 30 students selected to attend the 2016 Tennessee Governor’s School for Scientific Models and Data Analysis, a five-week program in which she gained essential laboratory experience relevant to her intended biology major. She is the daughter of Tony and Lane Roberts.

Savannah Seupaul graduated with honors from Little Rock Central High School, where she was on the Superintendent Honor Roll all four years, earning a 4.5 GPA and serving as vice president of the National Honor Society. She is an AP Scholar with distinction, a National Hispanic Scholar and a National Merit finalist. She has supported her local medical community by volunteering at a free clinic and at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science’s Cancer Floor, where she visited with cancer patients to make their hospital stay a more comfortable experience. She also served as an Executive MD intern. As a drum major and clarinet player in her high school band, Seupaul contributed to more than 40 charity and community events and received awards for outstanding section leader and marching. She plans to major in biology. She is the daughter of Rawle and Tanya Seupaul.

About the Honors College: The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and unites the university’s top undergraduate students and professors in a learning environment characterized by discovery, creativity and service. Each year the Honors College awards up to 90 freshman fellowships that provide $70,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants. The Honors College is nationally recognized for the high caliber of students it admits and graduates. Honors students enjoy small, in-depth classes, and programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students’ academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. Fifty percent of Honors College graduates have studied abroad – three times the national average – and one hundred percent of them have engaged in mentored research.