An Andrews University student is one of only 12 students in the state of Michigan to receive a scholarship from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Libby Megna, a junior biology major from Coloma, Mich., was selected based on her academic merit from a pool of nearly 1,100 applicants.
  
For undergraduates in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering, the Goldwater Scholarship is one of the highest distinctions in the country. The scholarship includes a financial award of up to $7,500 per year for their remaining years as undergraduates.
  
While at Andrews, Megna has been an active member in the J.N. Andrews Honors program. She has also worked alongside Professors Shandelle Henson and Jim Hayward in conducting research on seagulls off the coast of Washington, which is the focus of her Honors research thesis.
  
Gerald Smith of the Goldwater Scholarship foundation says, “Goldwater Scholars have very impressive academic qualifications that have garnered the attention of prestigious post-graduate fellowship programs. Recent Goldwater Scholars have been awarded 73 Rhodes Scholarships, 102 Marshall Awards (7 of the 40 awarded in 2009), and numerous other distinguished fellowships.”
  
“This scholarship is one of the most prestigious in the fields of math, science and engineering with a nationwide competition,” said Tiffany Summerscales, professor of physics and the Andrews University representative for the scholarship. “This is very exciting news as it shows that science students from Andrews are among the very best in the country.”

-Written by Robert Moncrieff, student news writer, Office of Integrated Marketing & Communication