Self Graduating Senior Fellows continue Jayhawk tradition

LAWRENCE — The inaugural cohort of Self Graduating Senior Fellows started their graduate degrees this semester at the University of Kansas thanks to outreach from two late KU benefactors – Madison “Al” and Lila Self.

The Self Graduating Senior Fellowship recognizes outstanding undergraduates who will enter a graduate degree program at KU immediately after completing their bachelor’s degree at KU.

Following the donors’ criteria, Self Graduating Senior Fellows are nominated by academic departments and selected based on their “individual achievement in leadership and scholarship,” “potential to make significant contributions to society” and “ability to envision and attain goals that require exceptional energy and tenacity.” Open to domestic and international students, Self Graduating Senior Fellows are enrolled full-time in master’s or doctoral degree programs at KU.

The selected graduate students receive $10,000 in funding for one academic year and participate in professional development programming that aids their success during graduate school and in their professional careers after KU. Programming topics include leadership, effective mentoring relationships, conducting and communicating research, grant preparation, public speaking, policy advocacy, networking, and preparation for today’s labor markets and evolving industries.

This award is the third fellowship endowed by the Selfs, joining the Self Graduate Fellowship program for doctoral students and the Self Engineering Leadership Fellowship program for undergraduate students.

2018-2019 Self Graduating Senior Fellows are listed below. Learn more about these graduate students and their research interests at the Self Graduating Senior Fellows site.

Alexander Burdge, master’s student, Department of English

Taylor George, master’s student, Department of Aerospace Engineering

Paige Hansen, master’s student, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Breta Horton, master’s student, Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering

Sebastian Huayamares, doctoral student, Bioengineering Program

Jacob Kendall, master’s student, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Frank Kim, master’s student, Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders

Margarita Nunez Arroyo, doctoral student, Department of American Studies

Mark Stapleton, master’s student, School of Business

Chad Uhl, master’s student, Department of Classics

Holden Zimmerman, master’s student, Museum Studies Program.