The University of Alabama

The Fulbright Program has selected 18 University of Alabama students for various awards for the 2022-2023 academic year. Five UA students received Fulbright Student Research Awards and 10 won Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards. In addition, three students won Fulbright Summer Study Awards to Canada.

The Board of Directors of Alpha Lambda Delta is pleased to announce Ashley Purcella from The University of Alabama was awarded a James G. Stemler Study Abroad Scholarship in the amount of $2,000.

University of Alabama student Kittson Hamill of Huntsville is the recipient of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship.

Jules Bates, a Randall Research Scholar and UA Honors College student from Pace, Florida, studying chemical engineering is the 60th UA student to receive the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship.

The Critical Language Scholarship program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity.

UA Student Simran Dhoju receives Brooke Owens Fellowship

A University of Alabama student and alumnus were among 41 Americans selected to study in the United Kingdom through the prestigious Marshall Scholarship.

Matthew "Drake" Southern receives a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Award recipient.

Fourteen UA students have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to participate in study abroad programs.

Jeneciah Starling Earns Gilman International Scholarship

She is the fifth UA women's tennis player to earn the prestigious award and the 67th Crimson Tide student-athlete.

A University of Alabama student has received a Fulbright Student Research Award and three students have won Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Awards for the 2021-2022 academic year. Fulbright is the most prestigious U.S. international exchange program, offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals. The Fulbright Award of the U.S. Department of State offers one-year grants for independent study and research and for English teaching assistantships overseas. The highly competitive program selects approximately 1,500 award recipients from more than 11,000 applicants each year. UA has received national recognition as a Top Producing Institution for Fulbright U.S. Students for five of the last six years.

Two exemplary pairs of Moral Forum students in the University of Alabama Honors College program competed in the final round of the fifteenth annual James P. Hayes, Jr. Moral Forum Debate Tournament on Wednesday, April 21. Six students received $5,000 in scholarships for their performance in the tournament. Moral Forum is an annual dialogue and debate program that involves extensive research as students prepare value-based case studies representing positions on each side of a controversial issue. This semester, students argued in support of and opposition to the statement: In order to be a more moral society, our federal and state governments should allow the use of the death penalty in cases of first-degree murder with aggravating factors. In teams of two, students conducted research, participated in seminar discussions, and constructed position statements that address both sides of the debate about the death penalty in preparation for two required preliminary debate rounds. Each team prepared for and argued both affirmative and negative sides of the same resolution.

University of Alabama student Ann Williams has received a Boren Scholarship for the study of languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad. Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught language in such regions as Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program has selected two University of Alabama students as Goldwater Scholars for 2021-2022. The selections bring the number of UA students who have received Goldwater scholarships to 59. The Goldwater scholarships are awarded to college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.

Three University of Alabama students have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to participate in study abroad programs during the 2021-2022 academic year. "The Gilman International Scholarship is specifically designed to increase access to study abroad by supporting students who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints," said Carolina Robinson, director of Education Abroad at UA's Capstone International Center. "Since 2012, we have had 54 winners and 11 alternates for the award. We are so proud of Bailee, Lauren and Mariah for winning scholarships this year." Scholarship winners are selected by the Institute of International Education through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the U.S. Department of State.

A University of Alabama senior is among 46 Americans selected to study in the United Kingdom through the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. Caroline Yuk, a senior from Crystal Lake, Illinois, is the third UA student to win the award and first in more than 40 years. The scholarship provides aid to American students to study at graduate-level U.K. institutions in any field of study. Yuk, an interdisciplinary studies major in UA's New College, will pursue postgraduate degrees in neuroscience at the University of Oxford and audiology science at University College London. "Earning the Marshall Scholarship means the absolute world to me," said Yuk. "It's the greatest validation that I'm living in such a way that gives back to all who have helped me along the way, including my parents, siblings, friends and mentors." Yuk, who was born completely deaf but has since gained the ability to hear through cochlear implants and years of auditory-verbal training therapy, hopes to use her education and research to improve outcomes of those who are deaf or hard of hearing in underserved populations. "In order to study and find effective solutions for a macroscopic problem such as poorer hearing outcomes in rural areas, it is critical to study at the microscopic level, such as the molecular mechanisms of hearing and balance," said Yuk. "Auditory neuroscience is inherently multidisciplinary, so I will especially connect with audiologists, clinicians, scientists, biomedical engineers and hearing aid manufacturers in the U.K. "In doing so, I intend to contribute significantly to a future team of international and esteemed professionals in the field with a view to increasing hearing access for underserved populations."

Melissa Walker, a member of The University of Alabama's CrossingPoints Certificate in Occupational Studies Program, was recently awarded the Ruby's Rainbow Warriors for Walt Scholarship. Walker, a native of Tuscaloosa, is the first UA CrossingPoints student to receive a scholarship through Ruby's Rainbow, a national nonprofit organization that grants scholarships to adults with Down syndrome seeking post-secondary education, enrichment or vocational classes. The goal of Ruby's Rainbow is to help individuals with Down syndrome achieve their dreams of higher education while spreading awareness of their capabilities. The Warriors for Walt Scholarship was created in memory of Walter "Walt" Luther Morris IV who was born with Down syndrome and passed away at nine months because of complications following open-heart surgery in 2016. His scholarship is a joint partnership between Ruby's Rainbow and the Warriors for Walt Charitable Fund through the Arkansas Community Foundation. "I'm so excited and thankful to Liz and Trey Morris, and Walt from up above," said Walker. "The scholarship really means a lot and will help me complete another semester at UA."

Eight students from the The University of Alabama's Capstone College of Nursing received the DCH Health System's BSN Scholarship. "We are so appreciative of this opportunity for our students," said Dr. Suzanne Prevost, CCN Dean. "The need for nurses has never been greater, and many of our nursing students are experiencing increased financial challenges due to the pandemic. The DCH Health System BSN Scholarship is easing the financial burden of pursuing a BSN, while ensuring that qualified nurses remain in our community during this time of great need." The DCH BSN Scholarship Program is open to all BSN college students enrolled in their last four semesters at an approved nursing program. Recipients of this scholarship are expected to become employed as full-time RNs at DCH Health System, and to remain employed at DCH for 12 months for each semester of scholarship assistance. "Some of these students have already been gaining experience at DCH. From those experiences and what we have read, they are an exceptional group," said Faye Zwieg, Chief Nursing Officer at DCH Health System. "We are excited to offer these scholarships and look forward to working with each of them."

University of Alabama student Meredith Ward, of Niceville, Florida, was selected as a recipient of the Gilman-McCain Scholarship to study in Italy during the 2019-2020 academic year. The Gilman-McCain Scholarship, a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late senator John S. McCain, provides awards to child dependents of active service members to study or intern abroad. "Our Education Abroad office invests heavily in increasing awareness and supporting students in refining their stories and scholarship applications," said Carolina Robinson, director of Education Abroad at UA's Capstone International Center. "Our efforts are paid off with each student who wins a scholarship, which allows them the incredible opportunity to experience a new country and culture."

Ten University of Alabama students were awarded scholarships through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program during the 2019-2020 academic year. "The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship allows students to study abroad who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints," said Carolina Robinson, director of Education Abroad at UA's Capstone International Center. "We are thrilled that we had 10 UA students selected as recipients for this award." Recipients were selected by the Institute of International Education through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the U.S. Department of State. "Our Education Abroad office invests heavily in increasing awareness and supporting students in refining their stories and scholarship applications," said Robinson. "Our efforts are paid off with each student who wins a scholarship, which allows them the incredible opportunity to experience a new country and culture."

Eleven University of Alabama students were chosen as Fulbright Student Award Winners for 2020-2021. The Fulbright Program is the most prestigious U.S. international exchange program, offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals. The Fulbright Award of the U.S. Department of State offers one-year grants for independent study and research, and for English teaching assistantships overseas. "We applaud every Fulbright 2020-2021 student applicant for their interest in furthering the Fulbright mission of mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and the people of other countries," said Dr. Teresa Wise, associate provost of international education and global outreach. "As the world unites in solving the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, that mission is more important than ever. "We congratulate our awardees and know that they will represent UA and the U.S. with distinction in the coming year." The highly competitive program selects about 1,500 award recipients from over 11,000 applicants each year. UA has received national recognition as a Top Producing Institution for Fulbright U.S. Students four of the last five years. Alternates may be brought forward to serve at any time should winners be unable to travel to the designated country, or if additional federal funds become available.

University of Alabama student Nicholas Hayes, of Memphis, Tennessee, will receive the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship for 2020-2022. The scholarship provides a two-year academic award of $9,500 per year, and a 10-week, full-time, paid summer internship opportunity at any NOAA facility nationwide. Scholars also receive funding to present their NOAA research projects at two national scientific conferences. The Hollings Scholarship is given in addition to existing awards the student may already receive. Since the program's inception in 2005, more than 36 UA students have been named Hollings Scholars. Hayes is a Randall Research Scholar pursuing a diverse combination of majors and minors in mathematics, physics, interdisciplinary linguistics, German and computer science. Hayes serves as an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Firat Soylu, assistant professor of educational psychology and neuroscience, and Dr. Zhe Jiang, assistant professor of computer science. He contributes to projects focusing on bilingual math cognition, machine learning and spatiotemporal data mining with applications in earth science. Outside of research, Hayes is an Honors College Ambassador, Tide Talks executive team member and co-founder of Tuscaloosa's chapter of the United Nations Association of the United States of America.

University of Alabama student Ashley Elizabeth Batts, of Kingsport, Tennessee, will receive the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship for 2020-2022. The scholarship provides a two-year academic award of $9,500 per year, and a 10-week, full-time, paid summer internship opportunity at any NOAA facility nationwide. Scholars also receive funding to present their NOAA research projects at two national scientific conferences. The Hollings Scholarship is given in addition to existing awards the student may already receive. Since the program's inception in 2005, more than 36 UA students have been named Hollings Scholars. Batts is a Randall Research Scholar majoring in marine science, biology and physics. She conducts research under Dr. Kevin Kocot, assistant professor of biological sciences, on the global biodiversity of aplacophora and biodiversity of Icelandic euphrosinidae. For these projects, Batts makes DNA barcodes to analyze the phylogenetic relationship between samples. Outside of research, she is an assistant team leader for the Center for Service and Leadership and president of the Marine Science Club.

University of Alabama student Max Hawkins, of Renner, South Dakota, will receive the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship for 2020-2022. The scholarship provides a two-year academic award of $9,500 per year, and a 10-week, full-time, paid summer internship opportunity at any NOAA facility nationwide. Scholars also receive funding to present their NOAA research projects at two national scientific conferences. The Hollings Scholarship is given in addition to existing awards the student may already receive. Since the program's inception in 2005, more than 36 UA students have been named Hollings Scholars. Hawkins is a computer engineering major and Randall Research Scholar. He has worked under Dr. Jeremy Bailin, associate professor of physics and astronomy, to improve radio astronomy data using machine learning techniques. His research continues work Hawkins did last summer at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. This summer, he will remotely intern at Breakthrough Listen, a $100 million initiative to search for civilizations beyond Earth. Hawkins is also a member of UA's EcoCar team.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program has selected a student from The University of Alabama as a Goldwater Scholar for 2020-2021. Hannah Slater, a Randall Research Scholar studying chemical engineering and chemistry from New Lenox, Illinois, is the 57th UA student to receive the prestigious Goldwater scholarship. Her parents are Ronald and Tina Slater. Slater has worked under Dr. David A. Dixon, professor and Robert Ramsay Chair of Chemistry, researching the hydrogen bonding interaction between bioisosteres and amino acids using computational chemistry approaches. According to Slater, there is significant interest in designing drugs with novel binding sites for interactions with specific peptides in proteins to improve pharmaceutical outcomes. Outside of research, Slater is president of UA's student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, vice president of UA's student chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society and volunteers at DCH Regional Medical Center. She also works as a residential adviser on campus. Slater plans on pursuing a medical degree as well as a doctorate in biomedical informatics with the goal of conducting clinical computational oncology research while directing a lab at the university level. Scholarships of up to $7,500 a year are provided to help cover costs associated with tuition, mandatory fees, books, and room and board.

Five graduating seniors at The University of Alabama will participate in the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. In addition, two students from other institutions will be using fellowships at UA The students are among 2,000 NSF Graduate Research Fellows selected from more than 13,000 applicants to receive financial support for graduate studies.

Ten University of Alabama students were chosen as Fulbright Student Award Winners for 2019-2020. "Congratulations to UA's 2019-2020 Fulbright winners and alternates," said Dr. Teresa E. Wise, associate provost for international education and global outreach. "During their year abroad, these leaders of tomorrow are putting into action the diverse and intercultural experiences and education that UA provides." The highly competitive U.S. Student Fulbright Program provides grants for individually designed study and research projects or for English-teaching assistantships to 160 countries. More than 10,000 applicants compete for approximately 2,100 awards each year. "These students have emerged from the national Fulbright competition as the best in the nation," said Dr. Beverly Hawk, UA Fulbright program adviser and director of global and community engagement in the Center for Community-Based Partnerships "They represent our excellence in education to the nation and the world. Through their individual community engagement activities overseas, these Fulbright winners will develop lasting international ties for Alabama and the USA." Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Fulbright is the largest U.S. international exchange program, offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals. Alternates may be brought forward to serve at any time should winners be unable to travel to the designated country, or if additional federal funds become available.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program has selected three University of Alabama students as Goldwater Scholars for 2019-2020. The selections bring to 56 the number of UA students who have received Goldwater scholarships. The three UA students are: Thomas "Hank" Richards is a physics and mathematics major and Randall Research Scholar from San Antonio, Texas. At UA, he has worked under Dr. Igor Ostrovskiy, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, with the EXO-200 project, an experimental search for a hypothetical form of exotic nuclear decay called neutrinoless double beta decay. His role in the project is to use deep machine learning methods to search for signals of this decay. Outside of UA, he completed a nuclear physics research project at Vanderbilt University in summer 2018 under Dr. Joseph Hamilton. His parents are Michael and Beth Richards. Ryan Tuckey is a third-year undergraduate from Middletown, Maryland, and is the vice president of the Alabama Undergraduate Research Association and a Research Ambassador at UA. His parents are Taraneh and Brian Tuckey, and he has come to UA with 1.5 years of research experience from the National Cancer Institute. While working at NCI, Tuckey was able to contribute to a publication in the journal Nature and also has recently been published as a co-author in Disease Models and Mechanisms from work done during the three years he has worked in the Caldwell Laboratory at UA. Peyton Strickland is a junior from Pelham pursuing his Bachelor and Master of Science in aerospace engineering and mechanics. He has conducted research under the advisement of Dr. Semih Olcmen, professor in aerospace engineering, since the spring of his freshman year. His work, sponsored by The MITRE Corp., investigates the use of a low-cost K-band communication satellite constellation to meet our nation's low Earth orbit space object communication needs. Outside of research, Strickland is a volunteer C++ coding instructor at Central High School, UA American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics president-elect and a member of the Alabama Rocketry Association's Project ARES. Scholarships of up to $7,500 a year are provided to help recipients cover costs associated with tuition, mandatory fees, books and room and board.

The Coca-Cola Foundation is continuing its support for the Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars program at The University of Alabama with a new four-year grant award of $1 million. The new grant will fund the program through 2022. The program was first established at UA in 2006 with an initial $1 million gift. Since that time, The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded $4 million to support first generation scholars at Alabama.