(Posted April 22, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Zachariah Page, a sophomore studying chemistry at Juniata College from Rochester, N.Y., has been chosen to receive the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Students selected for this scholarship are chosen based on academic merit from the fields of mathematics, science and engineering.

Page, the son of John Page and Nancy Mitzner, will apply the $7,500 scholarship to tuition for his junior year at Juniata.

Page has focused his studies on organic chemistry. "Organic chemistry made immediate sense to me," he says. "It's an applied science so I was able to really get a lot of hands-on experience."

Page was chosen from a field of 1,035 students from hundreds of colleges and universities. This year, 321 scholarships were awarded.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established by Public Law 99-661 in 1986. The scholarship program honoring the late Sen. Barry M. Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

Although just a sophomore, Page has amassed significant research experience. After his freshman year, he was a summer research assistant for David Reingold, professor of chemistry, working on organic polymer synthesis. In May, he will travel to New Orleans, La. to present his research at a national meeting of the American Chemical Society. This summer, Page will be a summer research intern at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the lab of Todd Emrick, assistant professor of polymer science and engineering.

Page also keeps active outside of the laboratory. He has been president of the Cycling Club for the past two years and also is a member of the Rock Climbing Club and Chemistry Club. He also traveled to Florida on spring break to take part in a short course, the Environmental History of Florida.


Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.