Published on
Story by Logan Jackson
For nearly 70 years, the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) Program has recognized and supported outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. The five-year prestigious fellowship includes three years of financial support including an annual stipend of $37,000.
This year, four Mizzou undergraduate students, two graduate students and two alumni were selected for the program, with another five students with Mizzou ties given honorable mention.
“Having had the joy of working with some of the recipients over the years on different awards, and seeing how much work they put in to their research, it’s rewarding to see those efforts pay off in such a tangible way,” said Nina Wilson-Keenan, EdD, coordinator and advisor with the Mizzou Office of Global and National Fellowships. “It is also fantastic to see the number of NSF graduate fellows who chose Mizzou for graduate school continue to grow. We always include them in our GRF advising, and it’s wonderful to see how they support each other and mentor future applicants.”
Support for the award came from across the Mizzou campus. Along with the Office of Global and National Fellowships, many others played a vital role in aiding Tigers with their applications – Linda Blockus and Sarah Humfeld with the Office of Undergraduate Research; Liz Bent with the Graduate School; Hansa Magee, director of the Research Analytics team in the Division of Research, Innovation and Impact; Enid Schatz, associate dean of the Graduate School; and Amanda Hinnant, a professor in the Missouri School of Journalism and Honors College Faculty Fellow who is aiding the Office of Global and National Fellowships.
Several current Mizzou NSF GRF students also donated their time through workshops and peer mentoring. Mizzou had nine NSF Fellows on campus going into this year’s application cycle.
“I’m really proud of the way our faculty and staff partners and the current GRF recipients on campus pour their time and passion into mentoring these applicants,” said Erik Potter, program manager of the Mizzou Office of Global and National Fellowships. “Results always follow process, and we’ve built a GRF advising program at Mizzou that compares well to any I’ve seen across the country. Pair that with great students who work hard, and you’ve got something special.”
This year’s recipients include:
- Carissa Bersche, biochemistry major; pursuing the Honors College Certificate
- Allison Collier, environmental sciences major; pursuing the Honors College Certificate
- **Alexander Hardaway, electrical and computer engineering
- **Patrick Hunt, biological sciences
- *Gabrielle Leinbach, mechanical engineering
- *Randi Noel, plant sciences
- Nora Pryor, chemistry and romance languages (French) double major; pursuing the Honors College Certificate
- Gabriella Ramirez, computer science major; pursuing the Honors College Certificate
This year’s honorable mentions include:
- *Julianna Bayless, physics; earned the Honors College Certificate
- **Luke Bowles, biological sciences
- *Morgan Mathison, plant sciences
- *Kellen Sharpe, chemistry
- Rachel Weber, biochemistry major; pursuing the Honors College Certificate
*Denotes Mizzou alumni
**Current graduate student at Mizzou
Mel Abarca, an undergraduate student at California State University, Monterey Bay, also received an NSF GRFP award. Abarca spent last summer at Mizzou through the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program and participated in the NSF GRFP Bootcamp offered by the Mizzou Office of Global and National Fellowships.
Fellowships are life-changing opportunities for students. However, there are sometimes costs involved in competing for these awards. By donating to the Fellowships Student Support Fund, your money will help students pursue these tremendous opportunities regardless of their financial means.