DePauw Stories

Two DePauw juniors have won coveted Goldwater scholarships, given to students who plan to pursue a research career in science, math or engineering.

Jordyn Blakey ’22, a computer science major, and Alyssa Koch ’22, a cellular and molecular biology major and biochemistry minor, are among 410 college students from across the country to win scholarships to support their undergraduate education. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation makes awards to ensure the United States is developing talent in the STEM fields.

Four hundred thirty-eight colleges and universities nominated 1,256 students, from which the winners – virtually all of whom plan to pursue doctoral degrees, the foundation said – were chosen. Fifty-one, including Blakey, are math and computer science majors; 291, including Koch, are studying the natural sciences.

Blakey, who is involved in Computing Opportunities for Students of Color, the Association of African-American Students and the Sustainability Leadership Program, said she intends to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science and conduct algorithms research. She also wants to teach, she said, “because I’m inspired by my professors at DePauw who have shown extreme dedication to their students.”

The award, she said, is “confirmation of everything that I’ve worked for. It made me realize that this is what I want to do in the future.”

Koch, a science research fellow and member of the DePauw swim team, plans to pursue a Ph.D. in immunology or cellular and molecular biology and is “trying to narrow down my specific research interests.”

She wants to conduct research at a university so she can research mentor to students, just as she has been mentored at DePauw, which she chose because she could conduct research as an undergraduate.

“Having the opportunity to do research has been my favorite experience as a student at DePauw,” she said.