Barry Goldwater Scholarship

Website Eligibility Deadline Past Winners
goldwater.scholarsapply.org Sophomores/Juniors Oct. 31, 2024 See below

About

Established by Congress in 1986, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program is designed to attract outstanding students into careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit to students who are sophomores or juniors during the current academic year and who have excellent academic records and demonstrated interest in and potential for careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.

Eligibility

To be considered for nomination, a student must:

  • Be a full-time matriculated sophomore or junior pursuing a degree at an accredited institution of higher education and intend to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.
  • Have a college grade-point average of at least "B" (or the equivalent) and be in the upper fourth of his or her class.
  • Be a United States citizen, a permanent resident, or, in the case of students nominated from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, a United States national. Nominations from permanent residents must include a letter of the nominated student's intent to obtain U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of the Permanent Resident Card (also known as the Alien Registration Card or Green Card).

Qualifications

  • Preferred are students who have already been engaged in research or have some ideas about specific problems or areas they would like to investigate via research.
  • The Foundation Board of Trustees will consider the nominee's field of study and career objectives and the extent to which that individual has the commitment and potential to make a significant contribution to his or her field.
  • Nominees must include in their nomination materials a statement of interest in a career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering, detailing how their academic program and their overall educational plans will prepare them for their chosen career goal.
  • It is expected that students selected as scholars will pursue advanced degrees.

Application Procedure

1. CWRU can only nominate up to four candidates each year, so there is an on-campus preliminary screening. Interested applicants must complete and submit by the campus deadline the Goldwater Scholarship Preliminary Application, including one recommendation letter.

2. Interested applicants should complete the preliminary application by the campus deadline of Oct. 31, 2024, 11:59pm EST.  Recommendation letters should be submitted separately by the letter writer either electronically to lxt229@case.edu or via U.S./campus mail to the Office of Undergraduate Advising Support, Case Western Reserve University, 447 Sears Building, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106-7028.  Recommendation letters are also due by the above campus deadline.

3. The preliminary applications will be reviewed by CWRU's faculty representative. Students will be contacted as to whether their application has been moved on to the next stage, an interview with the Campus Selection Committee.

4. If selected for a campus interview, a date/time will be identified based on the applicant’s class schedule and committee availability. Interviews will take place in mid-November. (See schedule below.)

5. Following on-campus interviews, up to four applications will be endorsed and nominated by CWRU.

6. If selected as one of four candidates to represent CWRU, candidates will work directly with Dean LaTasha Johnson on submission to the national competition.

Application Timeline
Campus deadline (recommendation letter included) Oct. 31, 2024
Interview scheduling Nov. 4-6, 2024
Interview confirmation Nov. 6, 2024
Campus interviews Nov. 11-15, 2024
Selected candidates notified Nov. 30, 2024
Student deadline Jan. 28, 2025
National deadline Jan. 31, 2025

Value of the Award

The scholarship covers eligible expenses for tuition, fees, books, and room and board to a maximum of $7,500 per academic year. Junior scholarship recipients can expect to receive a maximum of two years of scholarship support. Senior scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of one year of scholarship support.

Contact

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation
301 Act Drive
PO Box 4030
Iowa City, IA 52243-4030
319.688.4335


Past Winners

2023

Charlotte Bimson 
Class of 2025
Engineering Physics (BSE)

Saul Castillo
Class of 2025
Systems Biology (BS) 

Soumyaa Das
Class of 2025
Neuroscience (BS) 

 

2022

Victor Sanchez-Franco: 
Class of 2023
Psychology

Mitchell Valentine
Class of 2023
Biochemistry

2021

Alice Lo
Class of 2022
Biology (BS)
Biochemistry

Eduardo Williams-Medina
Class of 2022
Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism

 

2020

Zahin Islam
Class of 2022
Biology (BS)

Daniel Shao
Class of 2021
Systems Biology
Computer Science

Evan Vesper
Class of 2021
Electrical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering

2019

William “Sam” Nutt
Class of 2020
Biochemistry
Chinese

Christine Smothers
Class of 2020
Nursing

2018

Matthew Thompson
Class of 2019
Biochemistry
Theater Arts

Honorable Mention

Megan Masterson
Class of 2019
Astronomy
Mathematics and Physics

2017

Benjamin Kuznets-Speck
Class of 2018
Mathematics and Physics

Honorable Mention

Nathaniel Starkman
Class of 2018
Mathematics and Physics

2016

Honorable Mention

Nathaniel Starkman
Class of 2018
Mathematics and Physics

2014

Honorable Mentions

Lauren Phillips 
Class of 2015
Biomedical Engineering

Sophia Hu
Class of 2015
Biochemistry

2013

Thomas Norton
Class of 2014
Mathematics and Physics

Honorable Mention

John Edelbrock
Polymer Science and Engineering

2012

Jason Tabachnik
Class of 2013
Mathematics and Physics

Honorable Mention

Charles Fulco
Class of 2013
Systems Biology
Biochemistry

2011

Ilya Kolb
Class of 2012
Biomedical Engineering

Chad Schaber
Class of 2012
Biology
Chemistry

2010

Zachary Kloos
Class of 2011
Biochemistry
Economics

Caitlin Powell
Class of 2011
Biomedical Engineering

2009

Gerald Pho
Class of 2010
Biomedical Engineering 

Honorable Mentions

Gareth Kafka
Class of 2010
Physics

Viral Shah
Class of 2010
Biology
Chemistry
Psychology

2008

Daniel Alt
Class of 2009
Biomedical Engineering

Honorable Mentions

Joshua Hamilton
Class of 2009
Chemical Engineering

Viral Shah
Class of 2010
Biology
Chemistry
Psychology

2007

Sheeba Joseph
Class of 2009
Biochemistry

Honorable Mention

Carl Hacker
Class of 2008
Biomedical Engineering

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