Student Fellowships & Research

Description.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry M. Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate. The purpose of the Foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue academic or research careers in these fields. It is expected that students selected as scholars will pursue advanced degrees, and nearly all Goldwater Scholars intend to pursue doctoral degrees.  In awarding scholarships, 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. Students who plan to study medicine are eligible for a Goldwater Scholarship only if they plan a research career rather than a career as a medical doctor in a private practice.

The Trustees anticipate receiving approximately 1,200 applications.  They will award approximately 300 Goldwater Scholarships to outstanding students, to be known as Barry M. Goldwater Scholars, in the spring of 2013 for use during the 2013–2014 academic year.

Benefits.
Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for undergraduate tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,500 annually. Scholarship monies not used during one academic year are not transferable to the succeeding academic year. Junior-level scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of two years of scholarship support, and senior-level scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of one year of scholarship support. Scholars may opt to study abroad, but their Goldwater funding will be based on their U.S. institution’s budget.

Eligibility.

• Applicants must be a full-time matriculated sophomore or junior pursuing a degree at an accredited institution of higher education during the academic year in which they are applying. See the Goldwater website for detailed definitions of "sophomore" and "junior."
• Applicants must have a college grade-point average of at least "B" (or the equivalent) and be in the upper fourth of his or her class. Typically, though, awardees have a GPA of at least 3.8.
• Applicants must be a United States citizen, a permanent resident, or, in the case of nominees from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, a United States national. Nominations from permanent residents must include a letter of the nominee’s intent to obtain U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of the Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as the Alien Registration Card).

Bowdoin’s Internal Selection Process. Since Bowdoin is allowed to nominate only four students annually for the Goldwater, the Committee will review the materials listed below to select Bowdoin’s four nominees. Please submit the following materials to the Office Student Fellowships and Research by the “Initial Bowdoin Deadline” (see above):

• A printout of a complete, online Goldwater Scholarship application, except for the Recommendations section. Do not list recommenders or their email addresses in the online application until after you have been named as one of Bowdoin’s four nominees.
• Nominee’s Essay (confined to two pages [one side only] with a font size no smaller than 11 point)
• Unofficial transcript (printed off of Bearings)
• Signed and witnessed "Permission Form and Waiver

• Three letters of recommendation. A faculty member may either electronically submit his/her letter to Emily Briley (ebriley@bowdoin.edu) or give it to the student in a sealed envelope, in which case the student is responsible for delivering the letter to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research by the "Initial Bowdoin Deadline". 

Materials for the Final Application. If you receive Bowdoin’s nomination, it is your responsibility to continue revising and collecting your materials and to remind your recommenders of all relevant deadlines. By the "Final Bowdoin Deadline," a Bowdoin nominee must:

• Electronically submit the online Goldwater Scholarship application, which includes:
  • Nominee application
  • Three recommendations. The applicant will lists three recommenders and their email addresses in the online application. The system will then generate an email to each recommender giving him/her instructions on completing the online recommendation.
• Provide an original and one copy of their application’s supporting documents (listed below) to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research. The Office of Student Fellowships and Research will submit these items and the Institutional Nomination, which the College is responsible for completing, to the Foundation on the nominee’s behalf.
  • Nominee essay (confined to two pages [one side only] with a font size no smaller than 11 point). 
  • Official transcript from nominee’s current institution, including fall semester if available. (The Bowdoin Registrar's Office will have fall transcripts available by mid-January, but it can take up to a week to receive your transcript after submitting your request.  Applicants must plan accordingly.)
  • Official transcript(s) from other institutions which the nominee attended with grades for courses taken.
  • Voluntary Survey Form (optional) – original copy only
  • Copy of the nominee’s Permanent Resident card and letter of intent to become U.S. citizen, if nominee’s citizenship status is permanent resident.

More about the selection process.  An independent review committee appointed by the Foundation will evaluate all valid nominations and recommend the most outstanding nominees from each state for consideration by the Foundation Board of Trustees. Nominees are evaluated on demonstrated potential for and commitment to a career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering and outstanding academic performance.  All nominees and will be notified of their final status by the end of March

Alexander Williams '12
A neuroscience major and computer science minor, Alex plans to pursue a Ph.D. in computational/theoretical neuroscience after graduating from Bowdoin. He is principally interested in understanding the physiological basis for neuronal computation, plasticity, and modulation – all of which form the basic building blocks of human behavior. Alex developed this interest while conducting research at Brandeis University in the summer of 2010. He continued this research at Bowdoin during the summer of 2011 and throughout the academic year as a Beckman Scholar. (Read more)


Molly Kwaitkowski '11
A neuroscience and Spanish double major, Molly’s impressive science background was instrumental in her selection as a Goldwater Scholar. She excelled in her coursework and has held several fellowships that have led to publications. After earning a Ph.D. in neuroscience, Molly plans to pursue a research career and contribute to the development of therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer’s disease. (Read more)



For a comprehensive list of Bowdoin fellowships winners, click here.