Each year the Department of Physics & Astronomy presents a number of scholarships to several of our incoming freshman as well as to some of the outstanding continuing physics majors. Prospective physics majors are invited to visit campus in the Spring semester (February) to see our facilities and meet our faculty. During these visits, students take a scholarship exam. The results of this exam in conjunction with high school academic achievement and SAT scores are used to determine which students earn a scholarship by faculty committee. A list of award winners from previous years can be found below along with a description of the awards available to incoming freshman who have declared a physics major.

 

The following list of scholarships are available to incoming physics majors and are independent of need:

 

Presidential Scholarships

Each year, two scholarships are funded by the Department of Physics & Astronomy to provide full in-state tuition for entering Freshmen. To be eligible, the student must apply to JMU by January 1, take the scholarship exam, and clearly indicate that Physics is their intended major. The following is a list of previous Presidential Scholarship winners:

 

Year Award Winners Year Award Winners
2008 Nora Swisher Matthew Chamberlin 2007 Alex Burant Benjamin Foltz
2006 Jamey Szalay Christopher Ambler 2005 Lok-Kun Tsui Ethan Rosenthal
2004 Stephen Mondschein Daniel Amon 2003 Matthew Musgrave Martin Lehman
2002 Steven Andrews Elisa Ahern 2001 Michael Motal Seth Henshaw
2000 Kevyn Adams Eric Stofferahn 1999 Karen Bland Andrew Werner
1998 Gordon Banks Alex Elahi 1997 Peter Colosi Richard Massaro
1996 Daniel Beckstrom Nicholas Maldonado 1993 Geoffrey Williams Jason Tilly
1992 Samantha Arnette Jeffrey Driscoll 1991 Lisa Christianson Darrin Moxin
1990 Elizabeth Crisfield Rea Hiser 1989 Blake Reid Brian Robinson
1988 Michael Fox Jeffrey Avellanet 1987 Kevin Healy Michael (Shane) Rogers
1986 Joe Howard Leroy Tyler 1983 Ajena Cason Marie Butler
1982 Douglas Huber David Gross 1981 Walter Lutz George Smith III

 

Madison Scholarships

The selected student will receive $1000/semester for both the Freshman and Sophomore years. To be eligible, the student must apply to JMU by January 1, take the scholarship exam, and clearly indicate that Physics is their intended major. A faculty committee selects one recipient each year. The following is a list of previous Madison Achievement Scholarship winners:

 

Year Freshmen Sophomores
2008 Collin Wilson
2007 Collin Wilson Daniel Simonson
2006 Daniel Simonson Sean O'Brien
2005 Kevin Yarmosh Brandon Boer
2004 Brandon Boer Alexander Beck
2003 Alexander Beck Matthew Hrabak
2002 Matthew Hrabak
2001 Jordon Herzog

 

J. Robert Gordon Scholarships

This endowed scholarship was established with generous gifts from Walter Curt of SEI, Inc. (JMU '85) and Raymond Serway (Department Head '80 - '86) in honor of long time faculty and Department head ('78 - '80, '95 - '01) Dr. J. Robert Gordon who retired in 2001. The selected student will receive approximately $1500/semester for the Freshman year. To be eligible, the student must apply to JMU by January 1, take the scholarship exam, and clearly indicate that Physics is their intended major. The following is a list of J. Robert Gordon Scholarship winners:

 

Year Winner Year Winner
2008 Michael Stickney 2007 Daniel Floyd
2006 Michael Brogan 2005 Lydia Barker
2004 Ross Fenwick 2003 Kristi Jespersen

 

 

The following list of scholarships are available to returning physics majors and are merit-based, independent of need:

 

Walter & Martha Curt Physics Scholarships

This group of scholarships were formerly known as formerly known as the Shenandoah Electronics Intelligence, Inc. Scholarships. They are funded directly by Walter Curt (JMU '85). These scholarships are normally granted to the recipients of the Presidential Scholarships, providing additional support after the Freshman year. The amounts awarded are $1500/semester for the sophomore year, $1000/semester for the junior year, and $1000/semester for the senior year. To be eligible a student must be making satisfactory progress toward the completion of a major in Physics. A faculty committee evaluates the student's progress. The following is a list of previous Walter & Martha Curt Physics Scholarship recipients:

 

Year Sophomores Juniors Seniors
2008 Alex Burant Benjamin Foltz Stephen McGinley Jamey Szalay Lok-Kun Tsui Ethan Rosenthal
2007 Stephen McGinley Jamey Szalay Lok-Kun Tsui Ethan Rosenthal Daniel Amon Stephen Mondschein
2006 Lok-Kun Tsui Ethan Rosenthal Daniel Amon Stephen Mondschein Martin Lehman Alex Cimino-Hurt
2005 Daniel Amon Stephen Mondschein Matthew Musgrave Martin Lehman Steven Andrews Elisa Ahern
2004 Matthew Musgrave Martin Lehman Steven Andrews Elisa Ahern Seth Henshaw Michael Motal
2003 Steven Andrews Elisa Ahern Seth Henshaw Michael Motal Eric Stofferahn
2002 Seth Henshaw Michael Motal Eric Stofferahn Karen Bland Andrew Werner
2001 Kevyn Adams Eric Stofferahn Andrew Werner Karen Bland Alex Elahi Nathan Havasy
2000 Andrew Werner Karen Bland Alex Elahi Nathan Havasy Jonathan Masinick Margaret Hamill
1999 Alex Elahi Nathan Havasy Mark Muller Jonathan Masinick Margaret Hamill
1998 Mark Muller Jonathan Masinick Brian Welsh Matthew Myers
1996 Justin Lacy William Lowrey

 

Raymond A. & Elizabeth A. Serway Scholarship

This endowed scholarship was established with the generous support Raymond Serway (Department Head '80 - '86) in conjunction with the Saunders College Publishing Company. A scholarship of up to $1000 is awarded to a sophomore or junior physics major to be used toward educational expenses in the following academic year. The award is based on the student's JMU academic record. A faculty committee selects one or more recipients each year. The following is a list of previous Raymond A. & Elizabeth A. Serway Scholarship recipients:

 

Year Award Recipients
2008 John Kelley Suzanne Lynch Sean O'Brien Jamey Szalay
2007 Daniel Amon Ethan Rosenthal Lok-Kun Tsui
2006 Martin Lehman Bonnie Ludka Laurence Lewis
2005 Martin Lehman Matthew Musgrave
2004 Seth Henshaw
2002 Simon Hale
2002 William Quarles
2001 Alex Elahi
2000 Tim Nagle Peter Colosi
1999 Eugene Kitamura
1997 Benjamin Cawood
1996 Walter Opaska, Jr.

 

Henry W. Leap Physics Scholarship

This endowed scholarship was established in memory of former Physics Department staff member Henry W. Leap. A scholarship of up to $1000 is awarded to a sophomore or junior physics major to be used toward educational expenses in the following academic year. The award is based on the student's JMU academic record. A faculty committee selects one or more recipients each year. The following is a lsit of previous Henry W. Leap Physics Scholarship recipients:

 

Year Award Recipients
2008 Ethan Rosenthal Lok-kun Tsui
2007 Mary Wilkins
2006 Jacob Forstater
2005 Matthew Hrabak
2004 Erin McGrath
2003 Tabitha Apple
2002 Karen Bland
2001 William Quarles
2000 Alex Elahi
1999 Arnold Larson
1997 John Rudmin Walter Opaska, Jr.

 

Physics Alumni/Faculty Scholarship

This endowed scholarship was established using donations from Physics Department alumni and faculty. A scholarship of up to $1,000 is awarded to a sophomore or junior physics major to be used toward educational expenses in the following academic year. The award is based on the student's JMU academic record. A faculty committee selects one or more recipients. The following is a list of previous award winners:

 

Year Award Recipients Year Award Recipients
2008 Lori Jackson 2007 R. Casey Boutwell
2006 Alex Cimino-Hurt 2005 Rebekah Esmaili
2004 Amelia Cohen 2002 Charles Arnold
2001 Karen Bland 2000 Tim Myers
1999 Peter Colosi 1998 Benjamin Cawood
1997 Julia Cornick

 

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