New York—Kayla Applebaum, a student at Stern College for Women, is one of only 283 students nationwide who were awarded the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship for 2014. The Goldwater scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. Many of the scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering and computer disciplines.

The one and two year scholarships are intended to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

Applebaum, originally from Teaneck, is a junior at Stern and is a cell and molecular biology major, with a minor in art history. “I have been doing research with Dr. Marina Holz of the Molecular Biology Department in Stern for the past three years, on molecular pathways of breast cancer,” she said.

With a career goal of pursuing a degree in medicine and possibly a Ph.D. in molecular biology, Applebaum hopes to conduct cancer research and be involved in patient management in clinical oncology in a university setting. Applebaum is also on the Stern College for Women softball team and coaches softball for Ma’ayanot High School, where she went to high school.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established by Public Law 99-661 on November 14, 1986. The Scholarship Program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. The Goldwater Scholarship is the premier undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

Since its first award in 1989, the Foundation has bestowed 7,163 scholarships worth approximately $46 million. The Trustees plan to award about three hundred scholarships for the 2015–2016 academic year.

By Elizabeth Kratz