The Vanderbilt Graduate School recognizes the exceptional research conducted by its Ph.D. candidates through endowed scholarships funded by generous donors. This year there were ten distinct awards available across various disciplines, each designed to honor outstanding scholarship and academic achievement. Each award comes with its own specific criteria, number of recipients, and monetary value, showcasing the diverse accomplishments of the Graduate School’s students. Congratulations to the following students who have received these awards:
Edward Ferguson Jr. Graduate Award
The Edward Ferguson Jr. Graduate Award provides scholarships to support students at the Graduate School who demonstrate excellence in research. The $5,000 award provides financial support to deserving graduate students in any field. Awarded to:
- Andreanna Burman – Cell and Developmental Biology
- Qianzhen Shao – Chemistry
Ethel M. Wilson Scholarship
The Ethel M. Wilson Scholarship was established in 1974 to support the education of graduate women students at the Graduate School. The $5,000 scholarship is awarded to the most promising dissertation research conducted by female graduate students. Awarded to:
- Kelsey Rall – English
John Cheek Scholarship
The John Cheek Scholarship was established to support graduate students conducting research related to East Asian studies. Students receive $5,000 and may be from different areas, including but not limited to, history, religion, English, economics, or political science. Awarded to:
- Xinjie (Andy) Zhang – Leadership and Policy Studies
Lai Sulin Scholarship
The $5,000 Lai Sulin Scholarship recognizes excellence in research by a Vanderbilt University Ph.D. student in an area related to cancer. Awarded to:
- Han Dong – Biomedical Engineering
Louise A. Taylor Scholarship
The $2,500 award provides financial support for deserving graduate students studying humanities across the university. Awarded to:
- Savannah DiGregorio – English
- Katherine Martha (Pier) – Philosophy
Malcolm, Catherine, and F. Stanley Jones Scholarship
The Malcolm, Catherine, and F. Stanley Jones $5,000 Scholarship was created to support deserving students studying in the Graduate Department of Religion at the Graduate School. Awarded to:
- Caleb Kobosh – Religion/Divinity School
Richard Bennett/Dorothy Danforth Compton Prize
The Danforth Foundation was established to support the most promising entering diverse graduate student in science and engineering at Vanderbilt University. This $2,500 prize was established in memory of Richard Bernard Bennett III, M.D. 1990, Ph.D. 1992. Awarded to:
- Sriya Bapatla – Biomedical Engineering
Sidney P. Colowick Graduate Student Scholarship
The Sidney P. Colowick Graduate Student Scholarship was established to provide financial support for a deserving student at the Graduate School. A student will be selected as the most outstanding candidate from among those receiving the $5,000 Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (HSV) Funds. Awarded to:
- Alexandra Reichert – Anthropology
- Lindsay Martin – Biological Sciences
Smriti Bardhan, Ph.D. Scholarship
The $2,500 Smriti Bardhan, Ph.D. scholarship recognizes excellence in research by a Vanderbilt University Ph.D. student in an area related to life sciences or biological sciences. Awarded to:
- Minsoo Kim – Chemical and Physical Biology
Tarkington Family Scholarship
The $3,000 Tarkington Family Scholarship provides financial support based on need or merit for deserving students at the Graduate School. Preference in awarding will be for a doctoral candidate or graduate student studying for a degree in archaeology or bioarchaeology. Awarded to:
- Jean-Paul Rojas – Anthropology
- Natalie Bruno – Anthropology
