A Junction City woman is among two K-State undergraduate students receiving 2022 Barry Goldwater Scholarships, according to a Monday release.
Lexe West of J.C. and Avanelle Stoltz of Leawood were named as the recipients of the award from the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. 417 college students across the US received the 2022 award, chosen from a pool of more than 1,200 applicants.
“When we search for Goldwater candidates, our K-State nominating committee looks for individuals who are outstanding academically,” said Jim Hohenbary, director of the K-State Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships. “However, we are also looking for people who have been passionate participants in undergraduate research — individuals who demonstrate the potential to thrive in future research environments. Both Ava and Lexe fit that description perfectly. It is gratifying to know that the Goldwater selection committee saw those attributes as well.”
West is a junior in psychology, working with Professor Kimberly Kirkpatrick in the Reward, Timing and Decision laboratory. Her focus is in time-based interventions to improve self-control in rats, seeking to better understand the relationship between neural activity, synaptic growth and timing ability.
Stoltz is a sophomore in biological systems engineering, working with Professor Nicholas Wallace studying Human Papillomavirus. She’s also had experience working in a reproductive research lab at the KU Medical Center under the direction of Professor Lane Christenson, studying the effects of spaceflight and microgravity on the adrenal gland.
Awardees receive $7,500 per year for college-related expenses. K-State boasts 80 Goldwater scholars among its ranks since the scholarship’s creation in 1989.
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