Oklahoma State University is the state's home for outstanding scholars this spring
Friday, April 18, 2008
“We’re having an exciting spring semester at Oklahoma State University, especially with all of these announcements. OSU can compete academically with students from anywhere in the country. Everyone at OSU is extremely proud of these students,” said OSU President Burns Hargis.
“These major achievements are a wonderful reflection on OSU, and demonstrate our university’s mission to educate and prepare our students to make a real difference in the world. These young people have exciting futures in store for them.”
Robert Graalman, director of the OSU Office of Scholar Development and Recognition, is thrilled for the students. His office and faculty mentors in every college on campus have spent thousands of hours working with the students and encouraging them in the process of applying for these life-changing scholarships.
“Many of my colleagues from around the country are not only impressed but amazed at our students, resources, programming, and especially faculty involvement OSU enjoys that cause results like this to occur,” Graalman said. “If there is an academic example of how teamwork across an entire campus can inspire success, we’re seeing it this year. OSU can be proud of these students and of a lot of others who are making the same kind of efforts in every college.”
OSU students who have already received notification of awards include:
Truman Scholar: Cortney Timmons of Ada, a biosystems and agricultural engineering major, is the 15th OSU student to receive the Truman Scholarship, one of the nation’s most prestigious scholastic honors. Only 80 U.S. college juniors annually receive the $30,000 scholarship for students with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or other public service.
Oxford Clarendon Press Scholar: Kelsey Williams of Stillwater, an English senior, is one of 50 American students to receive this scholarship, which provides full tuition and fees for American graduate students at Oxford University, plus a stipend for living and other expenses.
Morris K. Udall Foundation Scholar: Savannah Smith of Talihina, an environmental science major with an option in environmental policy, is the sixth OSU student to receive a Morris K. Udall Foundation Scholarship for her senior year. It provides $5,000 for educational expenses to outstanding students studying the environment and related fields, or are Native Americans or Alaska Natives in fields related to health care or tribal public policy.
Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship: Christy Milliken of Edmond, an English and economics senior, will spend next year in Indonesia as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. This Fulbright program places students as English teaching assistants in overseas schools to improve foreign students’ English language abilities and knowledge of the U.S.
Three Goldwater Scholars: Paul Egan, a Broken Arrow physics and mechanical engineering major; Ilya (Eli) Sluch, a Stillwater chemistry major; and Renee Hale of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., a chemical engineering major, have been selected as Barry M. Goldwater Scholars for 2008-09. This is the most prestigious and competitive scholarship for sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue careers in mathematics, natural sciences or engineering, and covers the cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board up to $7,500 per year.
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship: Sarah Cook Rowland of Morrison, a biosystems engineering major with a Spanish minor, is a recipient of this program that provides opportunities for outstanding graduate students to become knowledgeable experts who can contribute significantly to research, teaching and innovations in science and engineering. She will serve her fellowship as an OSU research assistant developing cellulosic biofuels.
Presidential Management Fellowship: Kyle T. Jones of Norman, a 2006 OSU political science and economics honors graduate and the first OSU student to receive the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, received a Presidential Management Fellowship. Now completing a master’s degree in public policy at Harvard University, he was selected from a national search and has the opportunity to work for two years in the office of his choice in Washington, D.C.
Also honored were Heather Beem, Mechanical Engineering senior from Norman, who received the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship this spring; as well as Fall 2007 honorees Sara-Jane Smallwood, Ag Communications/American Indian Studies major from Clayton, Oklahoma, who won a Udall Scholarship; Timothy O'Neil, English/History/Political Science major from Del City, Oklahoma, who won a Javits Scholarship; and Kyle Ensley, International Business major from Valliant, Oklahoma who, won a Pickering Scholarship.