Three UA Students Selected as 2004 Barry Goldwater Scholars

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Three University of Arkansas students have been named recipients of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for 2004. This is the sixth consecutive year UA students have claimed the prestigious scholarship, bringing the university total to 27 Goldwater Scholars since the program was established in 1988.

The three UA students named to this year’s list are Rebecca K. Claus, a Sturgis Fellow majoring in physics and mechanical engineering from Tower City, N.D.; David J. Deitz, a Sturgis Fellow majoring in biophysical chemistry and political science from Little Rock; and Kristin M. Fitzgibbon, a Chancellor’s Scholar majoring in geology from Little Rock. All students are juniors participating in the Honors College. Rebecca Claus is currently studying abroad in Australia.

"University of Arkansas students continue placing themselves among the elite students in the country," Chancellor John A. White said. "This significant accomplishment speaks to the continued quality of students the university attracts, and Rebecca, David and Kristin deservedly belong among the best and brightest for their dedication to research and the pursuit of excellence, both here at the U of A and in research through study abroad programs.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Program was created in 1988 to encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences or engineering and to foster excellence in those fields. In 16 years, the program has awarded 4,272 scholarships worth approximately $42 million.

Each Goldwater Scholar will 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 their areas of interest.

"University of Arkansas Goldwater Scholars have been an amazing group, and this year’s three are exceptional students as well," said Suzanne McCray, associate dean of the UA Honors College. "This is a scholarship that rewards students active in research, and the work our students are doing is ambitious.

"Kristin is conducting research that is part of larger study on seismic activity in the Caribbean and will contribute to a community’s ability to assess potential earthquake risks and prepare accordingly," McCray added. "David is working with anti-cancer compounds, and Rebecca is interested in polymers and nanotechnology. The work they are doing is significant, and despite their youth, they are playing important roles in research projects that will contribute to new knowledge."

The first Goldwater Scholarship awarded to a UA student was in 1990. Since that time, the university has produced 27 Goldwater Scholars in 13 years. Previous UA Goldwater Scholars have gone on to become a Rhodes Scholar, a Marshall Scholar, four National Science Graduate Fellows, a Fulbright Scholar and a Udall Scholar.

They have pursued doctoral work at prestigious programs including University of Virginia, University of California-Berkeley, Cambridge, Cornell, St. Andrews (Scotland), Oxford, Stanford and Washington University. In 2003, the university nominated four students for Goldwater Scholarships, and all four were recipients.

Though the prize money is not as large as that associated with many national scholarships, the Goldwater Scholarship remains one of the most prestigious and competitive awards available to undergraduates. To qualify for a Goldwater Scholarship, 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.