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:
- Ghassan Makhoul – Biomedical Engineering
- Yunfei Hu – Computer Science
- Lucas Borba de Miranda – Political Science
- Grant Mayberry – Physics and Astronomy
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:
- Maria Maria Castillo – Leadership, Policy, and Organizations
Family S Graduate Scholarship
Anonymous donors established the Family S Graduate Scholarship Fund in fiscal year 2018 to support deserving graduate students conducting basic research in the field of autism. Graduate students eligible for nomination must be enrolled full-time at Vanderbilt University. The scholarship will be awarded for the most promising research related to autism. Awarded to:
- Bhabika Joshi – Special Education
- Omair Khan – Special Education
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:
- Wenkuo Ma – History
- Ji Min Nam – Anthropology
- Joseph Hanauer – History
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:
- Can Luo – Biomedical Engineering
- Emily Green – Molecular Pathology and Immunology
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:
- Rebekah Votral – Religion/Divinity School
Richard Bennett/Dorothy Danforth Compton Prize
The Danforth Foundation was established to support the most promising entering 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:
- Kevin Guo – Biomedical Informatics
- Kaylee Yeager – Biological Sciences
Rawlings Rosti
Established in 2020 by Emilia Rosti ’92 and Terry Rawlings ’93, the Rawlings-Rosti Scholarship provides financial support based on need or merit for deserving students at the Graduate School who have demonstrated academic and research excellence. Awarded to:
- Thomas Mehaffey – Cell and Developmental Biology
- Elysia Gauthier – Pharmacology
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:
- Colette Marcellin – Political Science
- Nicollette Mitchell – Teaching and Learning
- Yamin Li – Computer Science
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:
- Olivia Riedling – Biological Sciences
- Soren Emerson – Neuroscience
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:
- Junlin Guo – Electrical Engineering
- Connor Sutton – Anthropology
- Isaac Gutierrez – Anthropology
