Berry College junior Daniel Alligood won honorable mention in this year’s prestigious Goldwater Scholarship program, which awards aspiring mathematicians and scientists.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was created to honor Senator Barry Goldwater, serviceman and statesman. This year, 252 Goldwater Scholars and 256 Honorable Mentions were awarded, putting Alligood among the top 500 math and science students in the nation.
Alligood, of Dublin, Ga., was only one of nine Georgia students to earn an honorable mention. He is a chemistry and math double major at Berry, as well as a Presidential Scholar. His plans for the future include getting a doctorate in molecular biophysics and conducting cross-disciplinary research in human disease at a research hospital.
His academic achievements have set him apart from the crowd. Awarded a Presidential Scholarship to Berry, he was excited about what the college had to offer him.
“I was already interested in sciences, so when I spoke to a representative from Berry College at my high school’s college fair, the science department and the high acceptance rate to medical school was very attractive,” he said. “I also liked the small college environment and the opportunity to form relationships with professors.”
When he’s not studying or conducting research, Alligood participates in the Allied Health Science Club and the Berry International Club. As for Alligood’s future, he plans to take the MCAT this summer. He would like to earn a M.D. or Ph.D. in molecular biophysics in order to conduct cross-disciplinary research in human disease at a research hospital.
“Daniel is intensively involved in medicinal chemistry research projects in the biochemistry and math departments. In addition to excelling in research and posting a 4.0 GPA, Daniel also plays on the Berry Men’s Tennis team,” noted Assistant Chemistry Professor Mark Turlington.
The Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,150 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the institutional representatives of 415 colleges and universities. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Since its first award in 1989, the Foundation has bestowed 7,680 scholarships worth approximately $48 million.
Recent Goldwater Scholars have been awarded 86 Rhodes Scholarships, 125 Marshall Awards, 134 Churchill Scholarships, and numerous other distinguished fellowships such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships.
Learn more about Berry College’s chemistry program at http://berry.edu/academics/science/chemistry/ and the math program at http://berry.edu/academics/majors/mathematics/.
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Written by Student Public Relations Assistant Abbie Smith
