CONWAY, Ark. (April 1, 2013) - Four Hendrix students were awarded the 2013 Goldwater Scholarship from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program, widely considered the most prestigious undergraduate science honor in the U.S.
The 2013 Goldwater Scholars from Hendrix are:
- Macrina Butler, a junior biochemistry/molecular biology major from Austin, Texas
- Kaleigh Clary, a junior mathematics and computer science major from Cabot, Ark.
- Vincent Gammill, a junior physics major from Little Rock, Ark.
- Konstantin Gruenwald, a sophomore physics major from Little Rock, Ark.
The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education 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.
This year, 271 scholars represent 177 institutions. Hendrix was one of only four institutions (including Drexel University, Montana State University, and Rice University) had all four applicants win; 15 had three scholars, 52 had two scholars. Among the schools with three scholars each were Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Pomona College, and University of Chicago. Fellow Associated Colleges of the South consortium members Davidson College and Washington and Lee University each had two.
In the 25-year history of the program, 29 Hendrix students have been named Goldwater recipients.
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is a national leader in engaged liberal arts and sciences education. For the fifth consecutive year, Hendrix was named one of the country's "Up and Coming" liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report. Hendrix is featured in the 2012 edition of the Princeton Review as one of the country's best 377 colleges, the latest edition of Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think about Colleges, Forbes magazine's annual list of America's Top 650 Colleges, and the 2013 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.