At Willamette University, turning knowledge into action through powerful student research opportunities is at the heart of the undergraduate experience. The university’s commitment to student success and academic excellence is exemplified by the Presidential Scholarship, a highly competitive program that provides significant institutional backing for undergraduate research.
The Presidential Scholarship provides a $2,500 stipend for research in the summer preceding senior year and an additional scholarship toward tuition and books for the senior year, or toward graduate school. The total value of the award is typically around $10,000. In the recent past scholars have explored topics ranging from drug policy to the imperial economy of Nigerian oil.
This year, the university is proud to name Katie Goodell BS’27 and Madeleine Maes BA’27 as the 2026 Presidential Senior Scholars.
Paving the way to a future in chemistry
Goodell’s project aims to isolate and characterize an enzyme in moss that contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer. Building on momentum from a biochemistry class, she will spend the summer recombinantly expressing and purifying the enzyme before characterizing it during the academic year.
For Goodell, the university's support was a crucial validation of her academic journey. “It demonstrates the university's belief in me as a scientist and the expectations they hold for me to contribute to my chosen field,” Goodell said. “This award proved to me that I am a chemist and people see promise in my future.”
The financial flexibility also allows Goodell to prepare for graduate school, where she plans to pursue a doctoral degree in chemistry, and create some breathing room within her budget for her upcoming wedding in May 2027.
Her journey studying Chemistry at Willamette has validated what initially attracted her to the campus. She was able to make connections and find her social group through campus clubs and her fellow classmates in the science department.
“A big factor in my decision to come to Willamette was the fact that I got accepted into the STEM Fellows program,” Goodell says. “I knew right away that I liked the Willamette community and I have met a lot of amazing people in the chemistry department, the STEM Fellows program, and from the club Campus Ambassadors.”
Building communities where no one grieves alone
Maes is utilizing the scholarship to enhance grief support and literacy on Willamette’s campus. The National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen found that almost sixty percent of college seniors reported experiencing at least one death of a family member or friend since the end of their first year of college. As a college student who has herself experienced loss, Maes was inspired to find ways to help others.
“As a grieving college student, I have experienced firsthand both the challenges of navigating grief in college, as well as the power of community-based grief support. We know that grief profoundly impacts students' college experiences, yet they often struggle to find support within this culture of silence,” she says. “Through my work, I hope to create a broader network of community grief support where no one grieves alone.”
Recognizing a “silent epidemic” of grieving college students, Maes is creating a specialized training, guidebook, and webpage to help faculty care for themselves, their colleagues and their students who are grieving. Her summer research will culminate in a trip to Porto, Portugal, where she will present her findings at the European Grief Conference alongside her mentor, Associate Professor of Civic Communication & Media Maegan Parker Brooks.
Studying grief has shown Maes the importance of community on college campuses and as part of a university culture. Willamette always seemed like a welcoming place for Maes, but as a student she has found the support to be even more than she expected.
“I came here for small class sizes, a supportive community, and an engaged student body. I have no doubt that the relationships I've built here, both with my peers and my professors, will last long after graduation,” says Maes, “One of the things that makes Willamette special is the way we all cheer each other on.”
Maes emphasized that the scholarship's financial support was essential for her research.
“This funding has opened up so many doors for me — including my first trip abroad! — and eased the burden of student debt,” Maes said. “Opportunities like the Presidential Scholarship and Carson Grant allow us the freedom to explore and create, as well as share that excitement with the rest of campus.”
Through the Presidential Scholarship, Willamette continues to foster a supportive community where students can tackle real-world problems and launch their professional aspirations.
