Goldwater Scholarship
Campus deadline (pre-application and supplemental form due): Sunday, November 2, 2025
IMPORTANT NOTE: Each year, Whitman College may select up to four nominees for the Goldwater Scholarship. To be considered for a college nomination, interested applicants are required to follow the instructions at the bottom of this page. Late applications will not be accepted.
If selected as a nominee:
Second campus deadline (first drafts of research essay and short essays due): Sunday, January 11, 2026
Final campus deadline (all materials due): Sunday, January 25, 2026
National deadline: Friday, January 30, 2026 (3:00 p.m. PT)
Eligibility requirements:
- U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or nationals
- Sophomore or Junior
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
Award summary and conditions: The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Program was created to encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering and to foster excellence in those fields. In awarding scholarships, the Foundation Board of Trustees will consider the nominee's field of study and career objectives and the extent to which that individual has the commitment and potential to make a significant contribution to his or her field. Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for undergraduate tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,500 annually.
Campus representatives: Dr. Moira Gresham, Professor of Physics (gresham@whitman.edu), and Dr. Jess Hernandez, Director for Fellowships and Grants (hernand2@whitman.edu)
To learn more, visit the Goldwater website: https://goldwaterscholarship.gov/
The Goldwater campus committee can select up to four nominees to move forward to the national competition. Additional nominees are allowed if a nominee is a U.S. veteran or transfer student.
To be considered for a Whitman College Goldwater nomination, interested applicants must submit these two forms by the initial campus deadline (Sunday, November 2, 2025):
The Goldwater campus committee will review all submitted forms in early November. Dr. Gresham will contact applicants to inform them of the outcome of the committee review prior to Thanksgiving Break.
Nominees will receive access to the full Goldwater application before Thanksgiving Break.
Each nominee will work with their research advisor(s) and Dr. Hernandez or Dr. Gresham to develop drafts of the Research Essay and short essays, by the second campus deadline (January 11, 2026).
This checkpoint is in place to ensure that nominees are appropriately framing their Goldwater essay and short essays with the Goldwater requirements and mission in mind. Nominees are encouraged to have an in-person or virtual meeting with Dr. Hernandez to discuss their drafts.
For more information about the Research Essay, visit https://goldwaterscholarship.gov/developing-the-research-essay/
Nominees will finalize all of their application materials and upload everything onto their Goldwater portal, by the final campus deadline (January 25, 2026). All recommendation letters must be emailed to Dr. Hernandez or Prof. Gresham by this deadline as well.
Over the last week of January, Fellowships and Grants team member, Jenny Stratton, will conduct a final proofread of all application materials and Dr. Hernandez and Dr. Gresham will write the college endorsement letters for each applicant.
Nominees must submit their applications before the national deadline (January 30, 2026).
Goldwater Scholars will be announced on the last Friday in March.
Total Recipients = 14
- Vee Edwards '26 (Chemistry)
- Nicola Myers '26 (Chemistry)
- Eliza Daigle '25 (BBMB)
- Kaleo Toguchi-Tani '25 (Physics-Astronomy)
- Clare Hermanson '24 (Chemistry)
- Grace Newman '23 (Chemistry)
- Gabe Juul '18 (Physics)
- Nina Finley '17 (Biology-Environmental Science)
- Dieter Brandner '13 (Biology)
- John Mark Hubenthal '06 (Mathematics, Physics)
- Jeffrey Parker '01 (Physics-Astronomy)
- Jessica Palmer '98 (Biology, English)
- Patrick Lager '93 (Chemistry-Biology)
- Stephen Miller '92 (Biology)