Two BYU students were among 264 recipients to receive the Goldwater Scholarship which offers up to $7,000 to students annually, and nine BYU students and alumni were awarded National Science Foundation Fellowships, which offers $14,400 for 12 month tenures.
The Goldwater Scholarship is very difficult to come by, said S. Neil Rasband, professor of physics, and Goldwater coach for BYU.
With BYU students competing with 1,200 people from the best schools all over the United States, it is a significant honor and achievement to win.
The Goldwater Scholarship was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, engineering, and the natural sciences.
The recipients of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship include BYU students Rhett Brewer, a senior majoring in chemical engineering from Las Vegas, NV, and Wendy Chao, a sophomore majoring in Molecular Biology from Orem.
The students are among 264 recipients of the scholarship, one of the most prestigious scholarships available to students.
The National Science Foundation Fellowship is also incredibly competitive, with 5,276 applicants, and 765 fellows nationwide, said Ross Spencer, assistant professor of physics.
“If any student from any university gets the fellowship, it is an amazing thing,” Spencer said
“It is mainly a reflection of the quality of the students, and what it means for them is that they can go to any university, anywhere in the United States. It’s an open ticket to anywhere,” he said.
“It’s exciting, and kind of a surprise to have received the fellowship,” said Lee Loveridge, physics student and fellowship recipient.
“What it means to me is that I will have more time to devote to my studies at Berkley, and I’ll be able to get through school faster.”
Students who were awarded the National Science Foundation Fellowships include, David Fearnly, Bruce Gale, Bruce Green, William Henstrom, Lee Loveridge, Michael Mitton, Nikkala Pack, Randall Peterson, and Richard Wheeler.
