A junior from the University of Illinois who is triple-majoring in integrative biology, chemistry, and astronomy, will have help paying for all those extra textbooks and summer courses as he has been named a recipient of the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Kamil Stelmach, of Lombard, Ill., says the award will not only help him finish his undergraduate studies but that the application process has already helped him prepare for a research career. He plans to attend graduate school and go on to work as a research scientist or professor, conducting research in microbial ecology and evolution.
“I feel very privileged,” Stelmach says. “I am lucky enough to be at a university in which research is the core of the institution.”
The scholarship, named in honor of the former senator from Arizona, awards students who “demonstrate strong evidence of contributing to the technological advances of the United States” by providing $7,500 per year for undergraduate educational expenses, which includes tuition, fees, books, and room and board.
The 278 scholars selected nationwide for this highly competitive award were chosen out of a pool of 1,111 students—nominated by faculty based on academic merit.
Two other U of I students also received the Goldwater Scholarship this year: Kimberly Parker, a junior civil engineering major from Westmont, Ill., and Maxie Dion Schmidt, a sophomore computer science major from St. Louis, Mo.
