April 10, 2015

Chemistry student earns national recognition

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Nathan Colley, of Streator, a senior chemistry major at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is an Honorable Mention for a prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship. 

The Goldwater Scholarship is among the most selective of the major national scholarships. Only a handful of students from each state receive the scholarship, and only a handful more earn the Honorable Mention designation. 

Pam Gwaltney, associate director of SIU’s University Honors Program, said Colley has been a high achiever since his freshman year, and is bound for big things in the future. Gwaltney helps students through the demanding and precise application process for major scholarships such as the Goldwater Scholarship. 

The scholarship rewards top students in the fields of mathematics, science and engineering. Goldwater Scholars and Honorable Mentions have a history of going on to win other acclaimed scholarships, including Rhodes Scholarships and Marshall Awards, among other honors. 

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency created in 1986. The program, which honors the late Sen. Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona, is aimed at assisting outstanding students in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering. Since its first award in 1989, the Foundation has funded 7,428 scholarships worth approximately $48 million.