First-generation collegian Becky McCauley has achieved what no other West Virginia University student has before: She has managed to become a Goldwater and Truman Scholar the same year.
The Goldwater announcement came two weeks ago; the Truman on Tuesday (March 28).
The biology and chemistry junior from Morgantown was one of 75 named in the competitive national Truman Scholarship program reserved for students with exceptional leadership potential, intellectual ability and likelihood of making a difference.
McCauley, a Morgantown High School graduate, was selected from among nearly 600 candidates nominated by more than 300 colleges and universities. She is the only student from a West Virginia college or university to earn the honor this year.
A contingent of University officials led by WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr.
recently caught up with her as she was preparing a solution for a lab experiment in Clark Hall to break the good news.
Not only are you one of the nation’s premier national scholars in science as a Goldwater Scholar, but you are one of the elite students being recognized for your public service efforts as the recipient of a Truman Scholarship,Hardesty told her.Basically, you’ve just hit a homerun out of the ball park.
Political science professor Robert DiClerico added,This scholarship involves a rigorous screening process and is an enormous testament to Rebecca’s intellect and extracurricular and community service activities. It’s highly unlikely that there is another student in the country that won both the Truman and the Goldwater scholarships in one year.
McCauley thanked DiClerico; Jonathan Cumming, chair of the biology department; and Jeffrey Petersen, professor of chemistry, for their support and guidance.
I’m shaking,she said.Here I was pipetting iodide for an experiment. I’m so surprised and shocked.
While scholars have traditionally come from the social sciences, Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation officials say outstanding science students like McCauley add diversity to the group.
We have a lot of people coming in with education or health backgrounds, but science is probably one of the least populated studies,said Christy Kleinbeck, program manager.
McCauley plans to use the $30,000 Truman Scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree in astrobiology and become an astronaut, a dream she has had since high school
when she interned with WVU physics professor John Littleton and the NASA Science and Engineering Apprentice Program.
My goal is to make it to Mars to conduct experiments to help with terraforming research,she said, explaining that terraforming involves changing the environment on another planet to sustain life.
The Truman and Goldwater scholarships are especially meaningful to McCauley because she is a first-generation college student.
Both of my parents are extremely proud of me,she said.It’s also great for me to show my siblings and cousins that it is possible to go to college even if no one in your family has done it.
The daughter of Robert and Kathy McCauley, she is president of the American Chemical Society and helps run a tutor center for undergraduate chemistry students.
Since her freshman year at WVU , she has been an active participant in research in both the biology and chemistry departments.
My interactions with my professors have been a huge part of my success here at WVU ,McCauley said.Dr. Petersen’s honors freshman chemistry course, along with Dr. Cumming taking me under his wing as an undergraduate research assistant, helped me to get involved in the various departments at WVU . With all the research I’ve performed so far, I feel very prepared to continue with it at the graduate level.
McCauley is the 17th WVU student to be honored with a Truman Scholarship since the first awards were made in 1977.
Other WVU students who received more than one major scholarship and award include Anna Blobaum (Goldwater Scholarship and USA TODAY college academic second team), Brian Glasser (Rhodes and Truman scholarships), Thomas Gaziano (Rhodes and Truman Scholarships), John Unger II (Rhodes and Truman scholarships and USA TODAY college academic first team) and Michael Wood (Truman Scholarship and USA TODAY college academic first team).