Utah State University students Matthew Hogan, Andrew Kjar and Jenny R. Whiteley were named 2020 Goldwater Scholars in a prestigious national competition that recognizes outstanding achievements in science and mathematics.
The awards were announced Mar. 27 by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, which administers the program. The Aggies are among 396 awardees selected this year, from more than 1,300 nominees representing 461 institutions.
With this year’s award recipients, USU boasts 34 Goldwater Scholars and 16 honorable mention recipients since 1998; numbers that rival the nation’s top universities.
“Once again, Aggie undergraduates are among the nation’s top STEM scholars” stated USU President Noelle Cockett in a press release regarding the recognition. “This well-deserved recognition is especially heartwarming news during these challenging times. Our scholars’ achievements are not only a testament to exceptional individual efforts in academics, research and service, but also acknowledgment of outstanding mentorship by our faculty.”
Each year, USU may submit up to four nominations for the award; a process, coordinated by the USU Honors program, that begins in November. Award recipients receive one or two-year scholarships of up to $7,500 per year toward annual tuition and expenses.
“USU has consistently matched or exceeded the Goldwater success rate of Ivy League universities like Harvard and Princeton not only because our faculty and students are so actively engaged in outstanding undergraduate research, but also because Physics Professor David Peak has worked individually with nominees to make their applications stand out,” stated Professor Kristine Miller, Honors Program director, in the same press release.
