Southern Miss Students Honored Through Prestigious Goldwater Program

Hattiesburg, Miss. - Two of The University of Southern Mississippi's top students have been honored by the renowned Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program, an organization devoted to supporting academic achievement in science and mathematics.

Justin Poelma, a junior polymer science major from Ocean Springs, and Tyler McCleery, a sophomore physics major from Mobile, Ala., earned the Goldwater Scholarship and an honorable mention from the program, respectively. Both are Presidential Scholars enrolled in the university's Honors College.

"It's a real honor because it affirms that people view you as having potential as a scientist who can contribute to the field," said Poelma, who plans on pursuing a career as a university faculty researcher. 

Named for the late presidential candidate and longtime U.S. senator from Arizona Barry M. Goldwater, the program was established in 1986 as a way to bolster the number of active scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to college sophomores and junior studying in these fields. Poelma is the 17th Southern Miss student to receive the scholarship and the only student in Mississippi to receive it this year. 

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

Since his freshman year, Poelma has worked in the laboratory of Southern Miss polymer science professor Dr. Robson Storey, where his research on model compounds has been published. "Justin is creative, excited about what he's doing and is truly worthy of the Goldwater Scholarship," Storey said.

Poelma has hands-on experience in the lab's cutting-edge research, which is biomedical in nature and has potential applications for advancements in the field, such as controlled drug release in the human body. "It's definitely mission-oriented research that we're engaged in," Storey said.

Both students believe their Honors College experience gave them an edge in the scholarship competition. "The senior honors component (thesis) that the college requires is very important," Poelma said. "It teaches you to value individual research and it helped me in writing the essay required for the Goldwater."

"I love the active learning component," said McCleery, referring to the field trips included in the Honors College curriculum. "You see how what you are learning is applied, and the smaller classes offer more one-on-one academic experiences."

Southern Miss Honors College Dean Dr. David R. Davies said the Goldwater Scholarship was "essentially the Rhodes Scholarship of science."

"It speaks volumes about the quality of our students that we have not only a winner, but also a runner-up," he said.

Southern Miss Dean of Science and Technology Dr. Rex Gandy, who is the official faculty representative for the Goldwater Scholarship, wrote a letter of recommendation for Poelma. Candidates are required to have three letters of recommendation from faculty members and mentors.

"Both Justin and Tyler are outstanding students, and I believe they have a promising future ahead of them," Gandy said. "We're thrilled to have them represent Southern Miss and our college as Goldwater honorees."

Click to enlarge