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Selected External Prestigious Scholarships and Fellowships
2009 - 2010
There are many organizations and foundations that offer substantial scholarships. The ones listed here are extremely competitive, and are, therefore, very prestigious. Any student who meets the qualifications is welcome to apply (not just honors students), though in most cases applicants need to be junior or senior status and have specific plans for graduate study. The list is organized according to discipline, though there is some overlap. In some cases, GVSU must nominate the candidate, and the university is often limited in the number of students it can nominate. Please read carefully the application qualifications, procedure, and deadlines for each scholarship you are interested in and look thoroughly through the website before beginning the application process. It should be emphasized again that these scholarships are extraordinarily competitive and, therefore, very difficult to get. The application process is time-consuming, but, in and of itself, is a very worthwhile experience. Contact Dr. Jeff Chamberlain, Director of the Frederik Meijer Honors College (chamberj@gvsu.edu), if you have any questions.
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Public Service
Senior wins Goldwater Scholarship
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| Kyle Schneider |
Grand Valley student Kyle Schneider has been recognized for his interest in science and his strong research abilities and experiences. Recently this senior chemistry major received the Goldwater Scholarship that will allow him to continue conducting research in science for many years to come.
The Goldwater Scholarship is given to junior and senior-year college students who are studying a subject related to math or science and who would like to get into research as a major focus as well as earn a Ph.D. This year there were 321 scholarships winners from 1,035 students applicants. The scholarship honors Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, and covers the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.
Schneider said that one of the main reasons why he got the scholarship is due to the amount of experience he has had in research. He has worked in the laboratory for the State of Michigan as a student assistant, and he is currently working at the aquatic toxicology lab for Environmental Resource Management in Holland. At both facilities, he tested environmental samples to ensure the pollution level was within state regulations. Currently he is working as a student assistant to professor Dave Leonard in the Chemistry Department where he conducts biochemical research on antibiotics.
“Basically what we do is biochemical research on bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics such as penicillin,” said Schneider, “It's a work in process, but we hope to lay a solid groundwork in understanding these mechanisms of resistance so that others can come and move forward in this field.”
Schneider began working for professor Leonard in 2007, and he said that working with him helped him figure out what he wanted to do after graduation.
“I always knew that I wanted to do something in science, but once I got into research with Dr. Leonard it opened a lot of doors, and I was able to see that graduate school was a great option for what I wanted to do,” he said.
Schneider graduates in April and from that point he hopes to continue onto graduate school to pursue his Ph.D. in biochemistry as well as continue conducting research.
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Fulbright winner teaches abroad
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| Laura Kennedy |
Unlike so many, Laura Kennedy has always loved math. The Grand Valley alumna earned a master’s degree in general education with advanced content specialization in mathematics. She said she plans to use her degree to eventually conduct research in mathematics education.
“I’d like to focus my research on the different methods of teaching math and how students learn,” said Kennedy. “There is a need for highly trained and motivated teachers. My goal is to teach future math teachers how to teach math.”
On her way to achieving that goal, Kennedy will travel abroad to teach. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in South Korea, beginning in July 2008. Kenney hopes to spend two or three years teaching abroad, before coming back to the states to work toward a doctorate in mathematics.
“It has been my dream to teach internationally ever since I studied abroad in Nairobi, Kenya,” she said. “My hometown, Greenwood, Wisconsin, is a very small town. I’ve arranged for my students in South Korea to be penpals with some students from my former high school.”
Kennedy feels prepared for what lies ahead. She spent a year working on academic enrichment programs in an after-school program at Congress Elementary in Grand Rapids Public Schools. She helped students play math games and problem solve to show them how the subject can be fun.
“So many students believe they are bad at math or can’t advance. They just need to be inspired to learn it,” she said. |
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