McCormick senior Kelsey Stoerzinger received one of the greatest honors and surprises of her college career this week when she was awarded a scholarship from the Winston Churchill Foundation, which will go toward her graduate studies in physics at the University of Cambridge.
Stoerzinger was among 81 students from eligible universities to receive the award. These universities represented the top schools in the nation, with only 14 available scholarships. Each school is allowed to nominate only two applicants who personify high academic achievement and potential to advance knowledge in their field.
“I wasn’t even sure that I’d get one of the two NU nominations,” the materials science and engineering major said. “There are a lot of accomplished students both here and at the other universities which are eligible to nominate.”
According to a University press release, the Churchill Scholarship includes all tuition and fees, airfare and a living allowance for one year of support toward a postgraduate degree in engineering, mathematics or the sciences at Cambridge. Stoerzinger is the seventh Northwestern student to earn the scholarship.
Since the Minnesota native hopes to become a professor at a research university, the opportunity to study at an institution with such a strong history in physics is ideal for her.
“I’m beyond excited for the opportunity to go to Cambridge and use state-of-the-art equipment to investigate phenomena that are just now starting to be explored,” she said. “I’m absolutely ecstatic, and am incredibly grateful for all the help I’ve received along the way.”
Stoerzinger also anticipates travel and new people to meet while in a different country and has very few worries about her upcoming time abroad.
“I just hope no one says something that is obviously English, but so distinctly British that I have no idea what they’re saying,” she said.