4 K-State Students Earn Goldwater Scholarships
All four of Kansas State University's nominees for Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships have been selected as 1998 Goldwater scholars, the University announced today. The $14,000 scholarships will fund two years of undergraduate study.
K-State's Goldwater winners are Teresa Sweat, junior in biology from Cedar: Wesley Schawe, senior in mathematics from Dodge City; Jace Kohlmeier, senior in computer science and mathematics from Sabetha; and Tristan Kimbrell, senior in biology from Wichita.
K-State students have won 34 Goldwater Scholarships since the program began in 1989. Officials say the University continues to lead the nation's 500 state universities in the number of Goldwater winners since the program began in 1989. K-State is ranked first in the nation among state universities in the number of Goldwater winners. Only Princeton, with 35 winners, has produced more Goldwater scholars. Harvard has 33 winners and Duke has had 32.
According to K-State scholar adviser Beth Powers, Goldwater Scholarships can be used for up to two years of undergraduate studies. "This has been a fabulous two weeks for K-State student scholars," KSU President Jon Wefald said. "Last week we learned that two of our Truman nominees won Truman scholarships and now we hear that all four of our Goldwater nominees were successful," Wefald said. "If these were football or basketball teams, the names would be all over the front pages of the nation's newspapers."
K-State has done it again. Four K-State students received the $14,000 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for 1998. This years' recipients are Tristan Kimbrell, junior in biology; Jace Kohlmeier, sophomore in mathematics and computer science; Wesley Schawe, junior in mathematics and Teresa Sweat, sophomore in biology.
Kimbrell said when he applied for the Goldwater Scholarship, he didn't think luck was on his side. "Actually, I didn't think I had the best chance in the world," he said, "but since K-State has such a good history, I thought I had an average chance." Kimbrell said his mother told him on April 1 that he won the scholarship. "The award letter went home, and my mom called and told me," he said. "It was on April 1 when she told me, so I thought she was joking. She had to reassure me." Besides the Goldwater Scholarship, Kimbrell has numerous other achievements, including National Merit Finalist, K-State Presidential Scholar and 1997 Division of Biology Most Promising Student.
Kohlmeier said receiving the Goldwater was a great honor. "I'm really lucky to be at K-State because there is such a tradition in scholars," he said. "I felt really fortunate to have as much help on it as I did in the process." Kohlmeier said winning the Goldwater had been a goal of his since he came to K-State. "I've been working toward it for quite a while," he said. Kohlmeier's other accomplishments include Phi Kappa Phi Sophomore Scholar, Putnam Scholar and KSU Friends of Math Scholar.
Schawe said he decided to apply for the Goldwater because his adviser and the head of the Department of Math encouraged him to. "I figured when enough people told me, it must be a good thing," he said. Schawe said he knew how tough the application process, which was necessary for K-State to nominate him to the Goldwater Committee, would be. But he said the worst thing to do is not apply because of that reason. When he found out he won the Goldwater, Schawe said it was the highlight of his day. "To say I was excited is probably an understatement," he said. "It made my day without a doubt." Schawe's other accomplishments include Pi Mu Epsilon Math Honorary, Wal-Mart Competitive Edge Scholarship and Robert C. Byrd Scholarship.
Sweat said she found out at work she won the Goldwater Scholarship. "They called me at work, and I was giving everybody the thumbs-up sign," she said. "Everyone was yelling and cheering, so we had a celebration right there at work." Sweat said she wasn't sure when she started the application process if she had a good chance but after she began her research, she said she thought there could be a chance. "When I started my research, I thought it was pretty important and maybe it will impress someone," she said. Sweat said after she was nominated by K-State, she thought maybe she had a good chance of winning the scholarship. "I knew K-State had had luck in the past," she said. "That's when I started thinking maybe this is going to happen." Sweat was also a National Merit Scholar, KSU Presidential Scholar and has received many scholarships through the KSU Foundation.
All of this year's scholars plan to use their Goldwater Scholarships to continue study at K-State.
K-State ranks second in the nation with 34 Goldwater Scholarship recipients. Princeton University is only one ahead of K-State.
Academic adviser Beth Powers said each year K-State nominates four students for the scholarship. Every year except last year and the first two years the scholarship began, K-State has had four winners. Powers said she thinks the reason K-State competes well with Ivy League schools, besides the students' hard work, is the K-State faculty. "We have faculty that is committed to getting students into the lab and making them strong mathematicians, engineers and scientists," Powers said. "It's really faculty mentoring that make the difference."