Two Hope College juniors have received highly competitive scholarships from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.
Anne Georges of Ramsey, Minn., and Colin Rathbun of Ada have each received Goldwater Scholarships for the 2011-12 academic year, out of only 275 awarded nationwide.
The scholarships were awarded by the Board of Trustees of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation to undergraduate sophomores and juniors. The Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,095 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.
The scholarships are for one or two years, depending on the recipient's year in school, and cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.
Numerous Hope students have received scholarships or honorable mention through the years. Across the preceding five years, for example, six received scholarships and eight received honorable mention.
° Anne Georges is majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, and minoring in mathematics. She has been conducting collaborative research with Dr. Leah Chase, associate professor of biology and chemistry. Her project in the lab seeks to further understand one of the mechanisms by which cells are able to respond to the stress from natural oxidants.
She plans to pursue a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology, and conduct research in biomedical science and teach at the college or university level. She is the daughter of Robert and Ruth Georges of Ramsey, and a 2008 graduate of Minnehaha Academy.
° Colin Rathbun is pursuing the college's American Chemical Society-certified chemistry major and minoring in mathematics. He has been conducting collaborative research with Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, who is an assistant professor of chemistry and Towsley Research Scholar at Hope. He and Johnson seek to develop new and more efficient methods of chemical synthesis through the use of metal catalysts.
He plans to pursue a doctorate in organometallic chemistry, in which he intends to conduct research while teaching at the university level. He is the son of Timothy and Roxanne Rathbun of Ada, and a 2008 graduate of NorthpointeChristianHigh School.
Of the 275 students selected for Goldwater Scholarships this year, 170 are men and 105 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their degree objective. A total of 24 are mathematics majors, 194 are science and related majors, 52 are majoring in engineering and five are computer science majors. Many have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering and computer disciplines.
The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established by Public Law 99-661 on Nov. 14, 1986. The Scholarship Program honoring Senator Barry M. Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.
Since it was established, the foundation has awarded more than 6,600 scholarships worth approximately $50 million. The Trustees plan to award about 300 scholarships for the 2012-13 academic year.