This is the third time a Goldwater Scholarship has been awarded to an E-town Student
Recently, Elizabethtown College junior Sara Luckenbill of Kutztown was honored with the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. The scholarship, given in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics, is awarded annually to 300 college sophomores and juniors nationwide.
The Goldwater Scholarship supports undergraduate students pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) research careers to “ensure that the U.S. is producing the number of highly-qualified professionals the nation needs in these critical fields.”
“I am elated to have been named a 2019 Goldwater Scholar,” Luckenbill said. “To be considered an emerging national professional by such a prestigious foundation is an incredible honor.”
Luckenbill, a Biotechnology major and with minors in Biochemistry and Psychology at E-town is specifically interested in microbiology and immunology. She was recognized for her research project, “Characterizing the Effects of Corticosterone on MuTu Dendritic Cell Activation.”
“Elizabethtown College’s motto Educate for Service is a call-to-action that strongly resonates with me,” Luckenbill said. “I believe everyone must use their passions, knowledge, and skills to make the world a better place for others. It is this belief that motivates me in my studies.”
This is the third Goldwater Scholar for Elizabethtown College. Previous scholars include Jennifer Stanford ’97 and Angela Mitchell ’07.
The Goldwater was established in 1986 with Congressional support and in collaboration with the Department of Defense National Defense Education Program to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. Competition for the Goldwater (U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater; R-AZ 1909-1998) is intense colleges/universities are allowed to nominate only four undergraduate students a year, making it a premier award.