The most prestigious undergraduate scholarship is awarded annually by the Barry M. Goldwater Foundation to outstanding students majoring in mathematics, science, engineering, or computer science, and this year eight of the major universities we follow on this site won three awards each.
Public universities with three Goldwater scholars for 2013 are Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina State, Oregon State, Pitt, UT Austin, Washington State, and Wisconsin. The leader among all public universities is Montana State University, with the maximum number of scholarships allowed–four. North Carolina State is the overall leader the past two years, with a total of seven Goldwater scholars.
The Goldwater awards are important indicators of the value of undergraduate research and the attention young scholars receive. Out of 271 of the $7,500 scholarships awarded in 2013, a total of 159 went to science majors; 71 to engineering majors; 27 to math majors; and 14 to computer science majors.
Goldwater scholars are also highly represented among winners of graduate awards such as Rhodes, Marshall, and Churchill scholarships. In recent years, 80 Goldwater winners have also won Rhodes scholarships; 118 have earned Marshall scholarships; and an extremely high number of 110 Goldwater scholars have gone on to win Churchill scholarships.
Below is a list of the universities we follow that have at least four Goldwater awards in the last two years.
North Carolina State: 2013 (3); 2012 (4)
Kansas: 2013 (2); 2012 (4)
Minnesota: 2013 (3); 2012 (3)
Nebraska: 2013 (2); 2012 (4)
Pitt: 2013 (3); 2012 (3)
UT Austin: 2013 (3); 2012 (3)
Colorado: 2013 (3); 2012 (2)
Oregon State: 2013 (3); 2012 (2)
Michigan: 2013 (3); 2012 (2)
Wisconsin: 2013 (3); 2012 (2)
Alabama: 2013 (2); 2012 (3)
Washington State: 2013 (2); 2012 (3)
Georgia: 2013 (1); 2012 (4)
Maryland: 2013 (3); 2012 (2)
South Carolina: 2013 (2); 2012 (3)
Clemson: 2013 (2); 2012 (2)
Illinois: 2013 (2); 2012 (2)
UMass Amherst: 2013 (1); 2012 (3)
Michigan State: 2013 (2); 2012 (2)
Ohio State: 2013 (1); 2012 (3)
Rutgers: 2013 (2); 2012 (2)
UC San Diego: 2013 (2); 2012 (2)
