University of Wisconsin-Platteville junior Olivia Adams was recently named a recipient of the 2024 Barry Goldwater Scholarship. She is the first UW-Platteville student to be honored with this prestigious award and one of only 438 students nationwide to receive the 2024 scholarship.
“I was shocked to find out that I was a recipient of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship,” said Adams, an animal science major with a pre-veterinary emphasis from Cassville, Wisconsin. “I am honored to be awarded such a competitive, prestigious scholarship and would like to thank those that supported me throughout the process.”
Adams is co-captain of the Equestrian Hunt Seat Team at UW-Platteville and is involved in Pioneer Catholic. She enjoys showing dairy goats with the American Dairy Goat Association, the Wisconsin Dairy Goat Association and Alpines International Club. She also enjoys horseback riding with the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association and United States Eventing Association.
“Olivia Adams has demonstrated a degree of curiosity, drive and work ethic that sets her apart from her peers and even exceeds that of more senior students,” said Dr. Ryan Pralle, assistant professor in the School of Agriculture at UW-Platteville and one of the faculty members who recommended Adams for the scholarship. “She has consistently demonstrated an interest and commitment to scholarly pursuits in agriculture. I whole-heartedly believe that Olivia is an ideal candidate for a future doctoral assistantship and will have an impactful academic career.”
Pralle, who has worked with Adams as her research mentor since August 2022, said Adams has become significantly engaged in all aspects of his research program and has distinguished herself as a model for excellence as a student and researcher due to an abundance of interest, initiative and responsibility.
According to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation website, the scholarship program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to identify, encourage and financially support outstanding undergraduates interested in pursuing research careers in the sciences, engineering and mathematics. The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields.