Michigan State University senior named 2010 Marshall Scholar
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State University senior Jessica Muir, of Romeo, Mich., has become Michigan's only 2010 Marshall Scholar and the university's 14th such scholar.
(Media-Newswire.com) - EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University senior Jessica Muir, of Romeo, Mich., has become Michigan's only 2010 Marshall Scholar and the university's 14th such scholar.
The 2010 class of Marshall Scholars includes 35 students throughout the United States who will use the scholarship for two years of graduate study in the United Kingdom. It covers university fees, cost-of-living expenses, research and travel grants and fares to and from the United States.
Muir will graduate in May 2010 with degrees in physics and astrophysics. In 2009, she was named a Goldwater Scholar.
"I will be spending a year at Cambridge, obtaining a certificate of advanced studies in applied mathematics, which means I'll be taking lecture courses on topics in theoretical physics," Muir said. "My plans for the second year aren't set in stone, but I'm hoping to enroll in a master's program on science communication at Imperial College London."
While at MSU, Muir has conducted undergraduate research in experimental high energy physics in the laboratory of Joey Huston, professor of physics and astronomy. In summer 2009, Muir participated in a competitive summer student program at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Geneva. In the local community, she serves as the assistant physics director for Science Theatre, a student-run outreach program that performs at schools throughout Michigan.
"The fact that MSU made it possible for me to get involved in research early on has been incredibly valuable," Muir said. "Not only did it give me experience doing actual research work, but also it made me more familiar with my field in a broader way and with different opportunities - like summer research internships - that I could get involved with. The support I've received from my professors, advisors and the Honors College has been invaluable as well."
In addition to being a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Dean's Student Advisory Council for the College of Natural Science, Muir is a National Merit Scholar and Distinguished Freshman Scholar. She is fluent in French and has worked as an intern at the particle physics laboratory in Annexy-le-Vieux, France.
"Jessie exemplifies how combining undergraduate research with a rigorous curriculum and leadership in student groups coalesces into an academic experience that prepares young scientists well for the challenges and rapid changes that they will face in their careers," said R. James Kirkpatrick, dean of the College of Natural Science. "The scientific community at MSU is honored by her accomplishments."
Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the Honors College, agrees.
"Jessie is an absolute gem. It is thrilling to see her named as a Marshall Scholar and to know that she has the intellect, dedication and energy to excel in her chosen profession and the community at large," she said. "She truly exemplifies the best and brightest amongst MSU's many talented undergraduates."
In addition to the Marshall Scholars, MSU has: 16 Rhodes Scholars, 16 Churchill Scholars, 27 Goldwater Scholars, 16 Truman Scholars, nine Udall scholars, six Hollings Scholars, two Gates-Cambridge Scholars and one Mitchell Scholar.
The Marshall Scholarships were founded by an Act of Parliament in 1953 and commemorate the humane ideals of the European Recovery Program or Marshall Plan. They are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and administered by the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission in the United Kingdom. The selection process in the United States is administered by the British Council on behalf of the British Embassy in Washington.
Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.
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