Eight Rice University graduate students have won Special Endowed Fellowships for 2021-2022. The selection process is highly competitive and by nomination only. The awards are administered by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and winners are selected by the Graduate Council.
Nominations come from a broad array of graduate programs. The fellowships play a critical role in student leadership development, thereby supporting and raising the profile of Rice University.
The awards and winners are as follows:
Nettie S. Autrey Fellowship
This year's Nettie S. Autrey Fellowship has been awarded to Harshit Yadav, graduate student in Mathematics. The honor is bestowed on a graduate student in science or engineering who demonstrates “outstanding achievement and promise." The award amount varies but typically totals about $14,000.
Lodieska Stockbridge Vaughan Fellowship
The Vaughan Fellowship is given annually by the Rice Graduate Council to students who display “evidence of outstanding achievement and promise.” The award amount varies but typically totals about $16,000. Five awards are presented each year, one in social sciences, one in humanities and three in any discipline. This year's winners are Fatima Alrashdan of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Dan Gorczynski of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Aja Martin of Art History, Cassandra Phetmisy of Psychological Sciences, and Marques Zarate of Political Science.
Mrs. L.F. McCollum Fellowship
The McCollum Fellowship is awarded to graduate students in music and architecture. This year's winners are Ian Daughtery of Architecture, and Jane Van Velden of Music.