N N IAL CEL O - Youngstown State University

Achieving the
Extraordinary
Three’s A Charm for Goldwater and Phi Kappa Phi Scholarships
For three consecutive years, Youngstown State University students have been selected for prestigious Goldwater and Phi
Kappa Phi scholarships. This distinction has not been achieved by any other public higher education institution in northeast Ohio.
Matt Ward
When Matt Ward came to YSU in 2004 from
Central Square High School in Brewerton, N.Y., he
was a music major.
In fact, he played the euphonium in the Symphonic Wind
Ensemble during its performance at Carnegie Hall in 2005.
However, the junior University Scholar with a 4.0 grade
point average, soon discovered his true passion was for mathematics.
That translated not only into a new major, but being
named a 2007-08 Goldwater Scholar, one of the nation’s most
prominent awards for undergraduate sophomore and junior
math, science and engineering students.
YSU is the only public higher education institution
in northeast Ohio to receive a Goldwater over the past
three years.
“The Goldwater Scholarship is the most prestigious
award of its kind,” said Ron Shaklee, director of the university
scholars and honors program. “Matt’s recognition speaks
to the quality of the instruction he has received at YSU.”
Ward is one of only 317 Goldwater Scholars nationwide
for 2007-08 to receive the $7,500 scholarship. Since 2005,
YSU has had two Goldwater Scholarship recipients. Last
year, Ward received an honorable mention.
Ward said that’s what gave him the confidence to
reapply. But he really didn’t need that nod to have faith in his
abilities – the physics minor had a perfect score on the AP
Calculus test.
His twin brother, Jeff, who attends Clarkson University
in Potsdam, N.Y., was also awarded a Goldwater scholarship
this year for math. He and his brother also gave talks at the
2006 summer Mathfest, and both presented posters on their
National Science Foundation-sponsored Research Experiences
for Undergraduates at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in
January 2007. Matt won an outstanding award for his poster
and Jeff won the same for his talk.
In addition, Matt’s article, “An Initial Inquiry into LC-
Loops,” has been accepted for publication in the American
Journal for Undergraduate Research.
“Matt is one of the best students I have known in 40
years of teaching,” said Douglas Faires, a professor emeritus
of mathematics.
Ward’s parents, Randall and Lorraine, reside in
Brewerton.
Louise Popio
The only person in Louise Popio’s life surprised to find
out that she had been selected to receive a $5,000 Phi Kappa
Phi Graduate Fellowship was Louise herself.
Popio of Canfield was selected as one of only four students
at an Ohio university to receive the fellowship.
“It is amazing what Louise has accomplished in her four
years at YSU,” said Ron Shaklee, director of the university
scholars and honors program. “She has combined her intellectual
pursuits with an abundance of on-campus activities and
leadership positions and embodies the overall qualities one
hopes to find in a college student.”
This is the third consecutive year that a YSU student has
received this honor.
Popio, a senior in the University Scholar program with a
4.0 grade point average, graduated in May.
A computer information systems major, Popio starts her
doctorate program and graduate assistantship at Pennsylvania
State University in August.
“I was honored when I found out about the scholarship,”
said Popio, who served a two-year term as a student member
of the YSU Board of Trustees. “I am really going to miss
YSU, but I am looking forward to the future.”
One of only 60 students nationwide to receive the award,
Popio was selected by the YSU Local Chapter 143 Phi Kappa
Phi executive board to receive the award.
The other Ohio institutions that had Phi Kappa Phi scholarship
recipients were Bowling Green, Ohio University and
Ohio State University.
Popio said that Karen Duda, the recently deceased chairperson
of computer sciences and information services, had a
profound influence on her and served as her mentor.
In addition to her coursework, Popio worked on research
projects with Duda, was a peer tutor in YSU’s Center for
Student Progress, a student employee in the CSIS department
and worked with members of the mathematics faculty
developing workshops for elementary and secondary school
math teachers.
“Louise is a remarkably gifted and dedicated student,”
said Tom Bodnovich, current CSIS chair. “Her positive effect
on the department will remain long after she has left us.”
Popio is a 2003 Canfield High School graduate. Her parents,
Loren and Kathleen Popio, have a younger son, Danny.
About the
Goldwater Scholarship
The Barry M. Goldwater
Scholarship and Excellence in
Education Program was established
by Congress in 1986 to honor
Senator Barry M. Goldwater,
who served 30 years in the
U.S. Senate.
The purpose of the program
is to provide a source of
scientists, mathematicians,
and engineers by awarding
scholarships to college students
who intend to pursue careers in
these fields. More information
can be found at http://www.act.
org/goldwater/.
About
Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897, Phi
Kappa Phi is the nation’s
oldest, largest and most selective
all-discipline honor society.
The Society has chapters
on nearly 300 select colleges
and universities in North
America and the Philippines.
Membership is by invitation
only to the top 10 percent of
seniors and graduate students
and 7.5 percent of juniors.
More information can be
found at http://www.phikappaphi.org/.
Louise Popio, Phi Kappa
Phi Fellowship and
Matt Ward, Goldwater
Scholarship
24 Youngstown State University
Summer 2007 25