UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Penn State has awarded its first round of Fox Endowment scholarships to 18 graduate students in 15 graduate programs. More than 600 graduate students applied for a Fox scholarship.
The scholarships, made possible through the $20 million commitment from Jeff and Ann Marie Fox, are designed to help students pursue excellence in their research and other academic endeavors.
“These students have demonstrated a commitment to pursuing the highest level of academic excellence,” said Levon T. Esters, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Fox Graduate School. “Each is deserving of this recognition. The Fox Graduate School is excited to support these students, and we are thrilled to be able to offer similar types of scholarships every year through the Fox Endowment.”
Students could apply for one of four types of Fox scholarships: summer research grants, dissertation completion awards, military and veteran scholarships, and general Fox scholarships. The scholarships will support a broad range of research and other academic endeavors for the 18 scholars. Recipients include students from University Park and World Campus.
Some Fox Scholars are using funding to enhance their research communication and collaborations. Darby Boontarue, a doctoral candidate in animal science, studies sustainability and efficiency in animal production by investigating the amino acid requirements of young turkeys. Her work supports more efficient poultry production and contributes to long-term food security, she said. Boontarue plans to use the funding to present her research at international conferences and foster connections with industry partners.
Architecture doctoral candidate Hanin Othman will make use of the support to develop and purchase new equipment to study air quality indoors this summer. Othman’s research focuses on detecting air quality indicators using low-cost, Internet of Things, and robotics technology to track pollutants. Through the scholarship, she will be able to focus on conducting experiments and refining her detection systems and algorithms.
Cory Brautigam, a doctoral candidate in curriculum and instruction, will be using scholarship funds to travel to Houston, Texas, to better understand the impacts of the Texas Education Agency’s takeover of the Houston Independent School District. As takeovers increase in frequency, Brautigam said, it’s crucial to understand how these interventions affect the teaching and learning that happens in classrooms. To conduct his case study, Brautigam will organize intensive qualitative research, such as interviews with administrators and teachers. He aims to understand the nuances of takeovers and how teachers' practices interact with the shifting political and policy context during takeover.
The 18 Fox scholarship recipients are:
- Nahida Akter, doctoral student in nursing
- Kawthar Babatunde, doctoral student in energy and mineral engineering
- Darby Boontarue, doctoral student in animal science
- Cory Brautigam, doctoral student in curriculum and instruction
- Edwin Dartey, doctoral student in applied linguistics and African studies
- Ankan Dutta, doctoral student in mechanical engineering
- Altony Hall, doctoral student in engineering
- Devon Hooper, doctoral student in engineering
- Arian Jaberi, doctoral student in chemical engineering
- Vinay Kammarchedu, doctoral candidate in electrical engineering
- Brandon Kelly, master’s student in business administration
- Rayid Mojumder, doctoral student in electrical engineering
- Adwar Oguttuh, doctoral candidate in art
- Hanin Othman, doctoral student in architecture
- Daisy Rodriguez, doctoral student in education policy studies
- Nicolas Simon, master’s student in public policy
- Suryansh Upadhyay, doctoral candidate in electrical engineering
- Barry Wade Jr, master’s student in strategic communications
The Fox Graduate School will open applications for Fox scholarships in the fall 2025 semester. More information will be available on the Fox Graduate School website in the fall.