EASTON, Pa.(www.lafayette.edu), March 28, 2008 — With 16 Goldwater Scholarship recipients in the last seven years, Lafayette is unmatched by any other exclusively undergraduate liberal arts and engineering college.

Awarded for academic merit, the Goldwater is the nation’s premier undergraduate award in the fields of mathematics, science, and engineering.

Megan Cummins ’09 and James Vasta ’10 are the latest Goldwater recipients. Cummins (Yardley, Pa.), a double major in biology and math, plans to obtain a Ph.D. in biophysics or applied mathematics and to become a research physician specializing in the biophysics of cardiology and conducting research with clinical applications. Vasta (Ambler, Pa.), a biochemistry major, plans to obtain a doctorate in that discipline. He would like to conduct research in biochemistry and metabonomics and teach at the university level.

Lafayette's success reflects its distinctive status as a liberal arts college with an outstanding engineering program. The Goldwater recipients include chemical engineering and mechanical engineering majors, along with biochemistry, biology, chemistry, math, neuroscience, and physics.

The success also reflects Lafayette's leadership in opportunities for undergraduate research with faculty mentors. All of Lafayette's Goldwater recipients participated in the College's EXCEL Scholars program, in which students collaborate with faculty on research projects while earning a stipend.

Another distinctive attribute is the opportunity to participate in NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports. Among Lafayette’s Goldwater recipients who were standout athletes are Jaryd Freedman ’08 and Meghan Ramsey ’04, both of whom were awarded the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Freedman, a swimmer, is this year’s recipient of the Class of 1913 Trophy, presented to the senior male and female student-athletes who have attained the greatest distinction as both an athlete and a scholar. Ramsey, a Patriot League soccer all-star, was a two-time winner of the ECAC’s Robbins Scholar-Athlete Award. She attends Stanford Medical School. Frank Cortazar ’07, a two-time Patriot League baseball all-star, is now pursuing an M.D. at the University of Miami. Matt Patton '02 was captain of the fencing team.

See a list of recent Lafayette recipients of national and international scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and post-graduate study. For information on applying for scholarships and fellowships, contact Julia A. Goldberg, associate dean of the College, (610) 330-5521.

Lafayette’s previous Goldwater recipients:

2007

Jaryd Freedman ’08 (Ambler, Pa.), biochemistry

2006

Frank Cortazar ’07 (Miami, Fla.), biochemistry
Matthew Coughlin ’07 (Boyertown, Pa.), chemistry
Michael Elzinga ’07 (St. Paul, Minn.) B.S. mechanical engineering/A.B. physics
Jordan Tirrell ’08 (West Grove, Pa.) mathematics

2005

Katie Thoren ’06, B.S. chemistry

2004

Megan Coyer ’05 , B.S. neuroscience
LeAnn Dourte ’05 , B.S. mechanical engineering

2003

Alison Campbell ’04 , B.S. biochemistry
Gabriella Engelhart ’05 , B.S. chemical engineering
Elizabeth Ponder ’04 , B.S. biochemistry/A.B. cultural biomedicine
Meghan Ramsey ’04, B.S. in neuroscience

2002

Daniel Ruddy '03 ,B.S. chemistry
Alyssa Picchini '04 , B.S. neuroscience

2001

Daniel Swarr '03 , B.S. physics/A.B. mathematics

2000

Matthew Patton '02 , B.S. computer science