April 7, 2005
Students shine on national, international stage
While the UW men’s basketball team was doing its part for national recognition, UW students were winning more than their share of prominent national and international awards and competitions on an unprecedented scale.
They include national academic titles in math and ethics, along with individual wins in Gates, Truman, Javits, Churchill, Goldwater and Udall Scholarships, all highly competitive awards nationally.
“It’s been a remarkable run for our students in this year’s competition for these highly sought-after awards,” said UW President Mark A. Emmert. “It is a testament to their abilities and to the education they’re getting at the University. It also makes a very strong statement: UW students compete academically — and win — with the best in the nation.”
Two students, Megan Matthews and Elizabeth Gray, received Gates Cambridge Scholarships for graduate study at the University of Cambridge. They were among just 38 scholars in the country to receive the awards and the first ever from the UW. Gray will be studying for a master’s degree in pathology; Matthews will be pursuing a master’s and doctorate in geographical research. The scholarship covers tuition, a maintenance allowance and discretionary funds for study-related activities. The goal of the scholarships is to help create the next generation of highly educated leaders “to address injustices and inequities around the world,” according to Bill Gates.
Loyce Mbewa, a junior majoring in medical geography with a minor in public health, has been selected as a Truman Scholar for 2005 based upon her “leadership potential, intellectual ability, and the likelihood of ‘making a difference,’” according to the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. Mbewa plans to graduate in 2006 and then continue on to graduate school in public health. The Truman scholarship will provide $2,000 of support for her senior year and $24,000 for graduate study. The Truman Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships for college students to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service.
Jared Silvia, a senior, has been awarded one of just 11 Churchill Scholarships in the U.S. for study at Cambridge University. Silvia is majoring in chemistry and biochemistry. The Churchill Scholarships are awarded to students who intend to pursue graduate study in engineering, mathematics or the sciences. The scholarship covers tuition, fees and living expenses.
Three students were selected as Goldwater scholars, a program that recognizes outstanding students pursuing careers in mathematics, the natural sciences or engineering. Scholars receive up to $7,500 to cover tuition, books, fees and room and board. The UW’s Goldwater scholars include Lesley Everett, a biochemistry major, whose research interests lie in genetics and biodefense; Jason Parker, a double degree student in electrical engineering and German language and literature whose research involves a collaborative project between chemistry and materials science; and Anna Schneider, a biochemistry and math major who is studying the role of proteins in disease progression.
Kathleen Belew, who was awarded a bachelor’s degree this March in the comparative history of ideas, has received a Jacob K. Javits Fellowship to pursue graduate studies in Yale’s American Studies Program. The fellowship, awarded to just 53 students across the country, provides full funding and a stipend for four years of graduate study. Her research will be comparing the oral histories of the southern U.S. and southern Mexico, centered around issues of plantation farming systems and racial violence.
Kayanna Warren, a senior majoring in biology and international studies, has been selected as a Morris Udall Scholar, intended for students who will pursue careers related to environmental policy. The foundation awards approximately 55 scholarships each year. Warren has been selected for this scholarship two years in a row, which is very uncommon. Warren also was a finalist for the Truman scholarship.
As we reported in the March 10 University Week, a team of undergraduates received top honors at the National Ethics Bowl competition in San Antonio, Texas. They were able to beat out the best 35 teams from around the country.
A team of math students was selected as outstanding winners in the worldwide 2005 Math Modeling Contest, keeping pace with teams from such math powerhouses as MIT, Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley. This is the fifth time in the past four years that a UW team has received top honors in one of the competitions.
