Several University of Portland alumni and students recently were awarded prestigious grants and scholarships from organizations across the world. The University provides opportunities for students to apply for and receive a wide variety of grants and scholarships that encourage further scholarship, cross-cultural learning, leadership, and community service. In addition to two Fulbright Scholarships won by a current UP student and an alumna in 2014, other notable awards include a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship, an NCIIA/Epicenter Engineering University Innovation Fellows program recipient, a NIH Postbac training program recipient, and a National Science Foundation graduate school grant. The University previously announced Truman Scholarship recipient Sarah Donohoe, Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholarship winner Sarah Letendre, and NCIIA/Epicenter Engineering University Innovation Fellows program recipient Kevin Bastien.
Fulbright Scholarships were awarded to senior Cerice Keller, double major in English and German studies, and a 2009 alumna who has been selected to study in Ireland. Keller received an English teaching assistantship to Germany. Since 2001, students from University of Portland have earned 48 Fulbright grants. The University has been a leader among its peer institutions in producing Fulbright scholars for several years, ranking first nationally in 2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11, 2007-08; second nationally in 2009-10, 2008-09, 2006-07; and third nationally 2013-14.
Clarie Couch, a senior biology major, has been accepted into a NIH Postbac Training Program. Couch’s project will involve genetic characterization and vaccine development for chlamydia. Couch will be working at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana. Last year, Couch was a recipient of a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship.
James Gaynor, a senior chemistry major, has been awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Student Grant. Gaynor will be attending the University of Washington in the fall. Last year, Gaynor was a recipient of a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship.
For more information about scholarship opportunities available to University of Portland students, please visit the website for the Office of Fellowships and Grants at http://www.up.edu/fellowships/.