Nationally Competitive Scholarship News

Homegrown K-State Students Nominated for Goldwater Scholarship

February 1, 2026

Kansas State University’s Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research celebrates this year’s candidates for the Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most prestigious in STEM!

Established by the United States Congress in 1986, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship identifies future research leaders nation-wide and scholars in the fields of the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering. Each participating institution can nominate up to four students per year, and the 2026 candidates from K-State are among the most promising in their fields—and all homegrown Kansans.

Though they all come from different backgrounds, their academic history has been shaped by a common experience: Support from their community that they relied on before attending K-State. Whether it be community college, scholarships and awards, or the support of their hometowns in central and southwestern Kansas, each student fostered their promising academic careers before they ever set foot on K-State campus.

For three of the students, this foundation was built through community college classes. Viv Nguyen, senior in Physics and Mechanical Engineering and member of K-State's Developing Scholars program, and America Zarate, junior in Fisheries, Wildlife Conservation, and Environmental Biology (FWCB) and a McNair Scholar, both took classes from Dodge City Community College before attending K-State.

Graham Dirks, senior in Physics and a Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship recipient, earned an associate's degree from Garden City Community College. This community college background is often considered critical to building strong academic skills that that prepare students for the demands of intense programs like those in STEM.

Additionally, three of the students—Nguyen and Zarate, as well as Evan Dickson, senior in Biochemistry from Salina, Kansas, and recipient of Kansas Wesleyan University’s Florence Evelyn Westhoff Scholarship—are first-generation college students, further showcasing the promising academic trajectory of this year’s nominees. Zarate is a member of the Tri-Alpha Honor Society, which provides educational resources and networking for first-gen college students. K-State's chapter of Tri-Alpha was established in the fall of 2021 and has provided essential academic support to hundreds of students ever since; communities and outreach such as this for students, especially those from smaller towns like those in southwestern Kansas, can make all the difference.

“As a first-generation student, having teachers who believed in me made all the difference,” says Nguyen. “My high school physics teacher, Ms. Hendrix, is who sparked my love for physics and showed me that I belonged in STEM. Her encouragement helped prepare me for K-State and gave me the confidence to pursue research and national scholarships.”

STEM fields are demanding and rigorous, but all four nominees have proven their research talents, strong academic abilities, and a dedication to excel that makes them excellent candidates for the Goldwater Scholarship.

Historically, K-State has had 83 Goldwater Scholarship nominees selected as Goldwater Scholars. The most recent is Sydney Erin Frenk, a Fredonia, Kansas, native and senior in Chemistry, who was selected for the honor in 2025.

The scholarship is awarded to approximately 400-450 students per year. A slate of award recipients is selected each year by a national team of reviewers from academia, industry, and national laboratories and approved by the Board of Trustees. Goldwater Scholars annually receive up to a maximum of $7,500 per full academic year to support their research. Recipients are announced in late March annually. Click here to learn more about the Goldwater scholarship program.

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