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| Photo Submitted. l-r: Autumn Lewis and Madeline Meier. |
Autumn Lewis, a
recent University of Arkansas honors graduate, and Madeline Meier, a
current honors senior, are both finalists for nationally competitive
fellowships to study in the United Kingdom. Lewis was named a finalist
for the Gates Cambridge Fellowship; Meier is a finalist for the National
Institutes of Health Oxford-Cambridge Fellowship. Both awards fund
graduate study in the United Kingdom.
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship, established in 2000 by the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation, allows for post-graduate study at the
University of Cambridge. Ninety-five scholarships are awarded every
year, 40 to American students. Four University of Arkansas students have
been named Gates Cambridge Scholars in previous years: Ryan DuChanois
in 2016, Mariel Williams Young in 2013, and David Deitz and Lance Owen
in 2006.
The National Institutes of Health Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program
is an accelerated doctoral training program for outstanding science
students committed to biomedical research careers. The program offers
access to mentors and resources from the National Institutes of Health,
the University of Oxford, and the University of Cambridge. Matthais
Bellaiche was the most recent NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholar from the
University of Arkansas.
University of Arkansas students who are interested in applying for
competitive scholarships like the Gates Cambridge or the NIH
Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Programs should contact the Office of
Nationally Competitive Awards at
awards@uark.edu.
AUTUMN LEWIS
Lewis, graduated
summa cum laude from the University of
Arkansas in 2014, with degrees in political science and economics from
the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Her interest in
education and politics at the state and federal levels has taken her
across Arkansas and on to Washington, D.C. As an undergraduate, Lewis
was named a Presidential Fellow at the Center for the Study of the
Presidency and Congress. Her undergraduate honors included earning a
Senior Honor Citation as the top female graduate of 2014, as well as the
Henry Woods Student Leadership Award from the Division of Student
Affairs and the Harry M. Alexander memorial award from the Political
Science Department. She was an Honors College Fellow, a research
assistant for professor Janine Parry, and served in the Associated
Student Government as a senator and chief of staff.
After graduating, Lewis worked as director of advance and auxiliary
relations for Mark Pryor’s Senate campaign in 2014, and then as a staff
assistant in Pryor’s Washington, D.C., office. Later, she worked as a
policy analyst and manager of aspiring teacher initiatives for the
National Council on Teacher Quality, an education reform nonprofit.
Lewis hopes to pursue a Master of Philosophy in Public Policy at the
University of Cambridge, then spend her career addressing the gap in
educational achievement based on socioeconomic status.
“I want to return to Arkansas and work to expand access to quality
education for all children, regardless of the neighborhood in which they
are born,” she said. She also hopes to found an advocacy group focused
specifically on the education issues and policies of Arkansas “to ensure
schools have adequate funding, effective teachers, and a strong
curriculum in order to give each child opportunities for success.”
MADELINE MEIER
Meier is an honors senior chemistry major in the Chemistry and
Biochemistry Department of Fulbright College. She worked with associate
professor David Paul to investigate a process that could have important
medical and environmental applications. Their work resulted in a recent
publication in the
Journal of the Electrochemical Society, with Meier as a second author. Meier has used her summers to pursue research abroad dealing with global issues.
In addition to her research, Meier has worked to improve
sustainability across campus by helping Greek organizations to develop
and implement a recycling program, leading several student recycling
drives and creating a sustainability representative position to foster
communication between the Office for Sustainability and Greek
Organizations.
Meier plans to use her graduate studies to continue to investigate
new methods and materials to detect indicators of disease and
environmental concerns in real time.
“I hope to combine such new discoveries with current technology to
develop point of care medical and environmental diagnostics to use in
developing countries, where infectious diseases and environmental
concerns are highly prevalent,” she said. Eventually, she hopes to
complete a doctorate in analytical chemistry with an emphasis in
biotechnology, and combine her passions for research and teaching as a
professor.
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Want to see some more options? Take a look at these
opportunities below for post-graduate fellowships overseas and check out
this article from Diversity Abroad!
This
program offers funding for U.S. citizens planning to pursue graduate
study at Cambridge University, England. The program expects applicants
to demonstrate high academic achievement and be able to get into the
graduate program of their choice at Cambridge. You should be able to
demonstrate potential for further academic development and use what
you’ve learned in the program to benefit the common good after you
complete the program.
You must apply both to the Trust and to
Cambridge University. You will need to submit both a CIGAS form A (the
Cambridge University application form for graduate study) and a
completed Gates Cambridge Scholarship form.
Deadline: Mid-October
This
award is for U.S. citizens who wish to pursue graduate study in the UK.
The fellowship is often awarded to individuals who exhibit strong
academic achievement, often with GPAs of 3.7 or higher. The Marshall
Scholarship seeks "change agents," not just strong scholars. In addition
to academic excellence, you should also have a substantial leadership
background and demonstrated civic engagement. Each scholarship is held
for two years.
You can apply this scholarship to any institution
of higher learning in the UK. Applications are encouraged for study at
institutions other than those in London, Cambridge and Oxford.
Deadline: Early October
Check out this blog from Amy, a recent U of A grad and Fulbright teaching assistant in Thailand, at: https://sameamebutdifferent.wordpress.com/
The
Fulbright fellowships, contrary to popular belief, aren’t just for
students looking to do research abroad. They have come to encompass a
wider range of opportunities that include teaching abroad, studying
abroad, and conducting research abroad. Though the primary focus is
still to provide recent graduates the chance to do research outside of
the U.S., there are additional opportunities worth exploring.
Applicants
have the option to apply with the sponsorship of their alma mater or
individually. The primary difference between the two processes is that
those with university sponsorship go through an additional vetting stage
where a committee of university faculty and staff evaluate the
application to help the applicant strengthen his/her proposal. If you
plan on applying independently, just keep in mind you should have
someone who will be able to help you look over your proposal before you
submit it.
Deadline: Mid-October
