KU announces new 2021-2025 Self Graduate Fellows

LAWRENCE – Eleven doctoral students have been selected to receive the University of Kansas’ prestigious Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship for the 2021-2022 academic year. This incoming group of fellows is among over 200 students who have benefited from the fellowship since it was established in 1989.

The Self Graduate Fellowship is a four-year package awarded to incoming or first-year doctoral students who demonstrate leadership, initiative, and passion for achievement. The fellowship covers full tuition and fees, provides graduate research assistant support of $32,000 per year, a $5,500 professional development award and a unique professional development program.  The Fellow Development Program provides general education and training in communication, management, innovation, policy and leadership to assist Self Graduate Fellows in preparation for future leadership roles. The role of the development program is to complement the specialized education and training provided in doctoral programs. The total value of the four-year doctoral fellowship exceeds $180,000.

The fellowship’s mission is to identify and recruit exceptional doctoral students who demonstrate the promise to make significant contributions to their fields and society as a whole.

The late Madison “Al” and Lila Self launched and permanently endowed the Self Graduate Fellowship in 1989, motivated by their strong belief in the vital importance of developing leadership for tomorrow.  Madison Self was a 1943 KU graduate in chemical engineering.  Lila Self grew up in Eudora and attended KU with the Class of 1943.

The new Self Graduate Fellows for 2021-2025: 

• Alicia Brown of Chinle, Arizona: Bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from Haskell Indian Nations University; first-year doctoral student in molecular biosciences
• Madeline Haga of Fort Smith, Arkansas: expected bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Central Arkansas; incoming doctoral student in chemistry 
• Samuel Lim of Kansas City, Missouri: Bachelor’s degree in computer sciences from the University of Missouri-Kansas City; first-year doctoral student in computational biology
• Megan Myers of Olathe: Bachelor’s degree in microbiology from KU; doctoral student in the interdisciplinary graduate program in biomedical sciences, KU Medical Center
• Daniel Owen of Brookfield, Wisconsin: Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology; first-year doctoral student in aerospace engineering 
• Scott Ring of Hays: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from KU; first-year doctoral student in mechanical engineering 
• Bryan Rodriguez-Colon of Manati, Puerto Rico: Bachelor’s degree in geology and bachelor’s degree in biology from the University Puerto Rico Mayaguez and master’s degree in geology from KU; first-year doctoral student in geology 
• Mikayla Smith of Olathe: Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from KU; first-year doctoral student in pharmaceutical chemistry
• Lillian Springer of Indianapolis, Indiana: expected bachelor’s degree in economics from Butler University; incoming doctoral student in economics 
• Lee Taylor of Atherton, Missouri: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the KU; incoming doctoral student in electrical engineering 
• Megan Wittman of Bloomington, Illinois: expected bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from KU; incoming doctoral student in environmental engineering.