Junior Francesca Ippoliti, majoring in chemistry, has been awarded a 2016-17 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Junior Emily Vecchia, majoring in mathematics, was given an honorable mention.
The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Sen. Barry M. Goldwater (R-Arizona), who had served 30 years in the U.S. Senate. The program was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering. This year the program awarded 252 scholarships for the 2016-17 academic year to undergraduate sophomores and juniors from the United States.
Ippoliti intends to receive her Ph.D. in chemistry with the hope of doing research in bio-organic chemistry and teaching at the university level. Vecchia wants to earn her Ph.D. in mathematics so she can do research in applied mathematics.
The Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,150 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. One hundred forty-four of the scholars are men, 108 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. Thirty scholars are mathematics majors, 157 are science and related majors, 59 are majoring in engineering, and six are computer science majors. Many of the scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering and computer disciplines.
The one- and two-year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.
Since 1989, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation has awarded 7,680 scholarships worth approximately $48 million.
For more information about the Goldwater Scholarships, contact Dr. Kyle Zimmer, associate professor of biology and St. Thomas’ Goldwater program chair, at (651) 962-5244.
