University of Iowa

Third-year student Seren Castellano was named a 2025 Goldwater Scholar, the nation's most prestigious scholarship for undergraduate students pursuing careers in research.

Out of thousands of applicants nationwide, 10 students from the University of Iowa (UI), all hailing from hometowns in Iowa, have been granted a prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which awards the recipient up to $5,000 to study abroad.

Zach Graham feels an obligation to serve others. That helps explain why Graham, a third-year student in dental surgery in the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and an Army Veteran, has been named a 2023 Pat Tillman scholar.

Guilherme Pinho, who will receive a BA in political science and German from the University of Iowa in May 2023, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award to Germany for 2023-24.

Laura McDowell, who will receive a BA in linguistics and Spanish from the University of Iowa in May 2023, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award to Turkey for 2023-24.

Amna Haider, who received a BA in international relations and philosophy from the University of Iowa in 2022, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award to Turkey for 2023-24.

Lee Sailor, who received a BA in political science from the University of Iowa in 2021, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award to Kosovo for 2023-24.

Sam Boucher, a PhD candidate in history at the University of Iowa, is the winner of a Fulbright Study/Research grant to Paraguay for 2023-24.

Rebecca Lara, who will receive a BA in English and creative writing from the University of Iowa in 2023, is the winner of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award to Spain for 2023-24.

University of Iowa third-year student Jeff Leiberton was sitting in his 9:30 a.m. electricity and magnetism class when he received a message from the university's director of scholar development, Kelly Thornburg. "The email said I could officially state that I was a Goldwater Scholar. I was so excited that I couldn't focus on class. It became the longest lecture I have ever sat through."

Studying abroad celebrates and promotes a culture of open-mindedness and inclusivity by providing individuals with the opportunity to experience different cultures first-hand, helping to foster a sense of respect and understanding for different ways of life, as well as breaking down stereotypes. It also provides an excellent opportunity to consider one's personal identity in a new cultural context. The Diversity Ambassador Scholarship was created to support the diversification of UI students who study abroad by providing awards to students from diverse backgrounds and identities, many of whom are traditionally underrepresented on study abroad programs.

Five students who work at CAMBUS -- the University of Iowa's public transportation system -- have been awarded CAMBUS scholarships.

Starting his studies during a pandemic, Iowa engineering student Sayre Satterwhite focused on exploring new interests. The payoff? In 2022, the Ames, Iowa, native became the first UI student to land a prestigious scholarship established by the NOAA.

Travel abroad provides an excellent opportunity to consider one's personal identity in a new cultural context. The Diversity Ambassador Scholarship program supports the diversification of students who study abroad by providing awards to students from diverse backgrounds and identities, many of whom are traditionally underrepresented on study abroad programs.

Rachael Volkman, a University of Iowa neuroscience major from Iowa City, Iowa, was named a 2022 Goldwater Scholar by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Vollkman is one of 417 recipients from across the country selected from pool of more than 5,000 applicants.

University of Iowa international studies and French student Lauren Philips has been awarded a 2022 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarshipto study Persian.

Jonas Nursing and Veterans Healthcare has selected current University of Iowa College of Nursing PhD student Hannah Dehner, BSN, RN, as a Veteran's Health Scholar. As part of the 2020-2023 cohort of 75 Jonas Scholars from across the country, Dehner and her fellow student researchers will be focusing on priority topic areas of veterans' health care, including mental health, environmental health, and vision health.

Jessica Quinn and Chelsea Hicks, both graduate students in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health of the University of Iowa's College of Public Health, were recently named the 2020-21 recipients of the Zwerling-Sprince Scholarship in Occupational and Environmental Health.

Master of Fine Arts student Sarah Schlosser has been awarded a 2021 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) for a summer virtual intensive language and cultural program in Hindi.

University of Iowa students Nyah Davis and Jack Lynn have been named 2021 Goldwater scholars. Davis is a mathematics major from Des Moines, Iowa, whose algebra research focuses on the representation theory of quivers, or directed graphs. Lynn is a biomedical engineering major from Bettendorf, Iowa, whose area of research is computational biochemistry, specifically RNA biomolecular simulation.

University of Iowa biomedical science student Aastha Chandra of Cedar Falls, Iowa, has been awarded a 2021 U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) for a summer virtual intensive language and cultural program in Hindi.

Graduate student Lincoln Aunan is one of two University of Iowa students currently receiving the Noyce Scholarship in Mathematics, leading him to realize his passion for working with disadvantaged students.

Iowa theatre arts students Brillian Qi-Bell and Alexi Bolden were selected to receive prestigious scholarships sponsored by "Saturday Night Live," Second City, and a "Hamilton" alumnus.

Chosen from thousands of applicants from colleges and universities across the United States, eight University of Iowa undergraduates were recently awarded the competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Gilman scholarship recipients receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of other cultures, countries, languages, and economies -- making them better prepared to assume leadership roles within government and the private sector

The University of Iowa Hospital and Clinic's Department of Radiology has announced the three recipients of the 2020-21 Scot Heery Scholarship. Heery enjoyed a distinguished career at UIHC. He served as a senior imaging technologist UIHC for more than 30 years, with expertise in computed tomography and demonstrated on a daily basis an unrelenting dedication to excellence in patient care.

A University of Iowa third-year student studying astronomy, physics, and mathematics has been named a 2020 Goldwater Scholar. Emily Silich, of Epworth, Iowa, performs research with UI Professor of Physics and Astronomy Philip Kaaret on the HaloSat project, an astrophysics mission in collaboration with NASA that searches the Milky Way's galactic halo for missing matter. Most recently, Silich used HaloSat data to investigate the X-ray spectrum of the Vela Supernova Remnant. She says being involved in research as an undergraduate has helped her in numerous ways.

University of Iowa College of Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) student Rania Schreiber was recently awarded 2020 Dean's CNL Conference Scholarships and will use the funds to travel to the CNL Summit.

University of Iowa College of Nursing Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) student Lauren Maus was recently awarded 2020 Dean's CNL Conference Scholarships and will use the funds to travel to the CNL Summit.

This scholarship program was provided under the terms of the will of Laurence R. Fairall, who died in 1973. Laurence R. Fairall scholarships are given to students in journalism, creative writing and political science. Students must be Iowa residents by birth and have been educated in Iowa (graduated from an Iowa High School). Students must have at least a 3.0 cumulative University of Iowa GPA and be enrolled full-time. Each scholarship is $7,500 - students receive half fall semester and half spring semester. Congratulations to these seven students who have been notified of their awards to utilize in their education toward and active career in Journalism: Audrey Felderman, Sara Stortz, Katie Wang, Josie Fischels, Amanda Spars, Julia DiGiacomo, and Haley Yordanoff. Great Job!!

Katelyn Weisbrod of the University of Iowa's School of Journalism and Mass Communication traveled to India to cover how Alleppey city leaders in Kerala are dealing with a waste management system rendered inefficient due to the effects of climate change. Katelyn is the managing editor at the Daily Iowan where she oversees all reporters and digital platforms. Katelyn's Report: http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/navigating-alleppeys-obstacle-course-waste-management-its-us-change