Robert Morrison (BME, ECE 4th year) recently received a Goldwater Scholarship for his outstanding academic performance coupled with his demonstrated potential for and commitment to a career in engineering.

“I am very excited that I received the Goldwater Scholarship,” said Morrison. “More than anything, I am thankful to all the mentors I’ve had at IIT. Without them, I do not believe I would have received such a competitive award.”

Of the 1,123 students who were in contention for this premiere, undergraduate scholarship, only 282 were selected as recipients.

Prior to being considered, students were nominated for the scholarship by their respective schools. Only four individuals could be nominated per college or university. Morrison was one of only three individuals to receive the scholarship from Oklahoma, his home state.

The Goldwater Scholarship—given exclusively to students in mathematics, science, and engineering—will provide Morrison with $7,500 to cover tuition, fees, and assorted incidentals for the upcoming school year.

Beyond accelerating in the classroom, Morrison is deeply involved in research opportunities on campus, and is a member of Tau Beta Pi and a co-founder of Intuitive Modules in Engineering Education. He also recently helped create an obstacle-locating cane that received high honors at an ASME undergraduate design contest.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation first awarded the Goldwater Scholarship in 1989. It has since bestowed over 6,200 scholarships worth approximately $39 million.