2 Purdue students Churchill Scholarship finalists
January 8, 2015
Emily Erickson |
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Two Purdue University seniors are finalists for the Churchill Scholarship, a prestigious and nationally competitive program that funds the pursuit of a one-year graduate degree in science, engineering or mathematics at Churchill College within University of Cambridge in Great Britain.
Each of these undergraduates - Emily Erickson of Clarks Hill, Indiana, and Steve Mussmann of Spencerville, Indiana - has already published in their fields of expertise and show great promise to become leaders in their respective areas of breast cancer research and computer science.
Erickson is a biochemistry major in the College of Agriculture. She has researched in Karen Plaut's laboratory at Purdue, interned at Mayo Clinic and focused on breast cancer research at the National Institutes of Health.
Steve Mussmann |
Mussmann is pursuing a triple major in the College of Science in computer science, statistics and mathematics, along with a minor in physics. In addition to significant research in Jennifer Neville's computer science group at Purdue, Mussmann has interned at University of Central Florida and Bloomberg in New York.
Purdue is part of a closed competition held by The Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States. The foundation's program allows schools to nominate two students at most. There are only 25 national finalists, 14 of whom will be selected for the scholarship. The scholarship covers all university and college fees as well as UK application and visa fees. In addition, Churchill Scholars receive a living allowance and a travel stipend.
Purdue students undergo a rigorous application process through the National and International Scholarships Office (NISO), which is housed in Purdue's Honors College. NISO develops student-scholars' skills as they prepare their applications for an interdisciplinary faculty panel that selects up to two students to receive the university's endorsement for this award.
Source: Rosanne Altstatt, Purdue National and International Scholarships Office, altstatt@purdue.edu