Hope is one of only four liberal arts colleges and
  one of only 18 institutions nationwide to receive a "Beckman
  Scholars Program Institutional Award" for 2000 and 2001.
  Hope had also received one of the two-year awards in 1998,
  the year that the program began.
          The 2000-2001 recipients were chosen on the basis
  of excellence from among an already-select group of 131
  institutions invited to apply for the awards by the
  foundation.
          "The 18 2000-2001 Beckman Scholars Program
  Institutional Award recipients have convincingly
  demonstrated excellence, distinction and distinctiveness in
  their undergraduate research capabilities and commitments as
  well as in their plans and activities for their Beckman
  Scholars," said Dr. L. Donald Shields, chair of the Beckman
  Scholars Program.
          The foundation established the Beckman Scholars
  Program to enhance the training of the nation's most
  talented and gifted undergraduates in chemistry and the
  biological sciences by providing sustained, in-depth
  laboratory research experiences with faculty mentors.  The
  program will be supporting a total of 71 students
  nationwide.
          "This is the first program that actually offers
  undergraduates students a stipend for year-round involvement
  with research," said Dr. William F. Polik, who is an
  associate professor of chemistry at Hope.  "The Beckman
  Foundation is very forward-thinking in regard to the
  importance of research to a young scientist's career--to
  actually be practicing scientists as undergraduates."
          The $52,800 award to Hope will support three
  students as they conduct research in chemistry or the
  biological sciences.  The award will support the students as
  they conduct research with faculty members full-time during
  two summers and part-time during the intervening school
  year.
          The students will be biology, biochemistry or
  chemistry majors who will be juniors at the start of the
  school year following their initial summer research
  experience.  They will be expected to stay involved in
  research at Hope as seniors, and if they wish will even be
  able to continue during the summer following graduation.
          The Beckman Scholars are among scores of students
  who conduct research in the sciences at Hope during both the
  summer and the school year.  There were more than 120
  students engaged in such research during the summer of 1999
  alone.
          The college's first Beckman Scholar, chosen in
  1998, is senior Katie Horsman of Battle Creek, who has one
  manuscript in press and a second near completion concerning
  her research, and has made several campus-, regional- or
  national-level symposium presentations about her work.  The
  college's two 1999 Beckman Scholars, juniors Jordan Schmidt
  of Eagan, Minn., and Junu Shrestha of Kathmandu, Nepal, have
  made both campus and regional presentations regarding the
  work they began last summer.
          Polik described the Beckman Scholar award as "the
  most prestigious internal award made to Hope College science
  students."  He noted, though, that the research award's
  impact goes well beyond the recognition and support given to
  the recipient students.
          "Beckman Scholars are visible student leaders on
  campus, which enriches the atmosphere for all students by
  highlighting the value of undergraduate research as an
  important and vital part of the educational process," he
  said.  "Because of the length of engagement in research,
  Beckman Scholars mentor younger students who are beginning
  research and they serve as role models for students who
  aspire to succeed."
          The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation was
  established in 1977.  The foundation supports leading-edge
  research in chemistry and the life sciences, and fosters the
  invention of methods, instruments and materials to open new
  avenues of research and application in those disciplines and
  related sciences.  The foundation's support of education
  ranges from programs for elementary-age students to support
  for young scientists engaged in research at universities and
  research institutes.
          In addition to Hope, the colleges and universities
  to receive Beckman Scholars Program Awards for 2000-2001
  are:  California State University, Long Beach; California
  State University, Los Angeles; Carnegie Mellon University;
  The College of William and Mary; Duke University; Illinois
  State University; New York University; Princeton University;
  San Francisco State University; Trinity University in Texas;
  the University of Arizona; the University of California, San
  Diego; the University of Iowa; the University of Minnesota;
  the University of Utah; Wellesley College; and Williams
  College.

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