Founded in recognition of U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater, a scholarship fund that recognizes distinguished students in the fields of mathematics, science, and engineering, has been bestowed on two University of New Mexico students, Julian Vigil and Randy Ko.
Vigil, a Chemical Engineering student, received the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering.
Ko, a Biochemistry student with plans to pursue a M.D./Ph.D. in Cancer Biology, received an Honorable Mention.
UNM’s National & International Scholarships and Fellowships (NISF) office provides UNM students with merit-based scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
“The criteria of the Goldwater Scholarship include intellectual intensity and the potential for significant future contribution in their chosen field,” says Kiyoko Nogi Simmons, manager of Scholarships and Outreach at NISF. “Julian and Randy are great examples of successful Goldwater candidates who have been engaged in the research activities throughout their college careers, understanding the implications of their research outcomes, and publishing research articles.”
More opportunity for international scholarships
The University of New Mexico is now officially included on the Churchill Scholarship Participating Institutions list. This highly-competitive scholarship awards 14 STEM students the opportunity to study at the University of Cambridge for a one-year Master’s program. The Winston Churchill Foundation is looking for high-achieving undergraduate students with strong research experience.
The Churchill Scholarship was set up at the request of Sir Winston Churchill in order to fulfil his vision of US-UK scientific exchange with the goal of advancing science and technology on both sides of the Atlantic, helping to ensure our future prosperity and security.
The Churchill Scholarship has been called the most academically challenging of the UK scholarships. This scholarship is available for a U.S. citizen who is a senior enrolled in one of the participating institutions like UNM or a student who has graduated from one of those institutions within the past 12 months. Recent winners have had a GPA of at least 3.95 or above.
The NISF office provides opportunities for UNM undergraduate students to become competitive candidates for prestigious scholarships—from coordinating the institutional endorsement to assisting the UNM nominees with the scholarship application process. Students who are interested in these scholarships must submit a preliminary application to obtain institutional endorsement.
For more information on scholarship opportunities visit the NISF website.