Fall 2024 Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to the most recent recipients of University of Arizona Department of Mathematics scholarships! Learn more about each scholarship and recipient below.
Lauren Spadone - Elias Toubassi High Impact Award
The Elias Toubassi High Impact Award recognizes that excellence in the mathematical sciences requires access to high impact opportunities to engage with mathematics and mathematics education subject matter deeply and independently, as researchers often do. Awardees must have a project in mind.
Lauren Spadone, currently studying Statistics and Data Science, Geosciences, and Sports Management, has plans to pursue a PhD in Biostatistics following her graduation this Spring. She is grateful for receiving the Toubassi High Impact award which will allow her to further pursue her research interests in preparation for graduate school and beyond. During her time at the University of Arizona, she has had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of research projects, made possible by both the College of Science and the Department of Mathematics, that have been a cornerstone of her college experience and shaped her future plans.
“I hope to use some of the money saved from this scholarship to continue my research and make steps towards achieving my goal,” Lauren shared, “I am grateful this scholarship will allow me to pursue even more research and I am excited for the future to come.”
Matthew Arcarese - McLean Transfer Scholarship
The McLean Scholarships were endowed by the late John McLean in memory of his mother, Dr. Katharine McLean, who touched the lives of thousands of students. Most notably she helped many students make the transition from community college to university. Recipients of the McLean Transfer Scholarship are chosen based on overall GPA, mathematical aptitude, and emerging leadership within the community.
Matthew Arcarese is a junior undergraduate student studying Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is passionate about robotics, space exploration, space research, and embedded systems. Matthew plans to pursue a master’s degree to further his education in these fields and ultimately pursue a career in robotics and embedded systems after he graduates. The McLean Transfer Scholarship will help Matthew achieve his goals by allowing him to take upper division math courses such as advanced probability and advanced linear algebra. These courses will allow him to make significant contributions in the fields of machine learning and robotics.
“Since I have gone back to school to pursue my undergraduate degree in STEM, I have had the opportunity to explore many fields of mathematics including calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, discrete mathematics, trigonometry, and algebra,” Matthew said, “These foundational experiences have not only deepened my understanding but have also reinforced my desire to contribute to advancements in STEM fields. This scholarship will inspire me to delve deeper into higher-level mathematics while easing the financial challenges of pursuing these courses”.
Serena Lewis - Toubassi Award
The Toubassi Scholarship recognizes excellent mathematics majors applying to graduate programs in the mathematical sciences. Serena Lewis is an undergraduate studying Statistics and Data Science as well as Nutritional Sciences. She plans to pursue a PhD in Statistics after completing her undergraduate education, and aspires to become a statistician dedicated to addressing complex societal challenges. She is very grateful to have received the Toubassi award.
“Words cannot fully express how much it means to me to receive this scholarship, which will significantly help offset the cost of applying to graduate programs,” Serena shares, “My goal is to deepen my knowledge of advanced statistical methods and their applications in fields such as government, public health, and social sciences. [This award] has made this process more accessible and has given me greater confidence in pursuing graduate studies and achieving my career goals.”
Nishimwe Sentia - William Y. Vélez Scholarship
The W.Y. Vélez Emerging Mathematicians Legacy Endowment Fund supports mathematics and data science majors in various ways, including scholarships and conference travel stipends. The award was established through generous contributions from alumni, and honors the legacy of Bill Velez to the UA students majoring in mathematics.
Nishimwe Sentia is an undergraduate student studying Statistics and Data Science and Music. She plans to become a data scientist with a goal of one day working for the Census after finishing her undergraduate degree. She is grateful for this scholarship as it will help fund her education so she can work fewer hours at her campus job and focus more on tutoring those in her community.
“This support will allow me to focus more on my studies and less on financial concerns, helping me to fully engage in my academic pursuits,” Nishimwe notes, “I am determined to make the most of this opportunity.”
Andreas Garcia - Lusk Travel Scholarship
The Harry W. and Janet Sine Lusk Awards in the Mathematical Sciences for Travel aims primarily to support conference travel for undergraduate mathematics or statistics & data science majors.
Andreas Garcia is an undergraduate student studying Mathematics and Physics. He aspires to go into the field of quantum information science and theoretical physics. He was able to attend the 2024 URTC conference at MIT where his group’s paper obtained a spot in the top 5 paper presentations. The Lusk Travel Scholarship allowed him to drastically reduce the cost to attend, allowing him to go to his first ever STEM conference.
“I want to sincerely thank the math department for awarding me this scholarship,” shared Andreas, “Travel to Boston for this conference was very expensive and this money really allowed me to cut personal costs to attend.”
Learn more about the many scholarship opportunities the Department of Mathematics has to offer, including those currently accepting applications, at math.arizona.edu/academics/undergraduate/scholarships.
Congratulations once again to these hard working students.