Kristen Finch, honorable mention, and
Erik Urban, Goldwater scholarship recipient
Not pictured: Calvin Cochran, honorable
mention CONWAY, Ark. (March 29, 2012) - Hendrix College junior Erik Urban received the 2012 Goldwater Scholarship from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program.
Urban, a chemical physics major from Conway, Ark., is Hendrix's 25th Goldwater recipient in the 24-year history of the program.
Biology major Kristen Finch from Fort Smith, Ark., and math major Calvin Cochran from Huntsville, Ala., received honorable mention.
The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program is widely considered the most prestigious honor in the U.S. conferred upon undergraduates studying the sciences. The program was established by the United States Congress in 1986 in honor of former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, a 1964 presidential candidate to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to students who intend to pursue careers in these fields. Competition for the award is exceptionally intense. Institutions may nominate only four undergraduate students per year.
"The recognition they received from the Goldwater Scholarship Foundation this year is evidence of the high record of achievement they have amassed in just a short time," said Dr. Todd Tinsley, assistant professor of physics, who served as the College's Goldwater Scholar advisor. Tinsley, a Hendrix alumnus, was named a Goldwater Scholar in 1997. "It is also further evidence of how well Hendrix students compare to their peers nationally."
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is a national leader in engaged liberal arts and sciences education. Hendrix was named the country's #1 "Up and Coming" liberal arts college for the third consecutive year by U.S. News and World Report. Hendrix is featured in the 2011 edition of the Princeton Review as one of the country's best 376 colleges and is listed in the 2012 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges as one of 25 "Best Buy" private colleges included. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.