Published on March 17, 2016 by Sean Flynt  
Jack Kawell

Samford University engineering physics major and University Fellows honors student Jack Kawell has been accepted to the 2016 North Carolina State University Research Experience for Undergraduates in Composites for Extreme Environments.

The nine-week summer program offers rising junior and senior college students travel support, housing, meals and stipend of $4,500. Participants will work on independent projects with faculty mentors, participate in research discussions, visit industrial sites and laboratories, and present their research at the NC State Undergraduate Research Symposium in August.

Kawell credited Samford biology professor Betsy Dobbins with guiding him to the NC State program. “As a University Fellow, I took her Scientific Inquiry class last semester,” Kawell said. “Her class was formative in broadening my understanding of science and its effects on the world.” The two stayed in touch, and Dobbins encouraged him to apply to summer research programs throughout the U.S. “Of all the programs I applied for, [the NC State program] was my top choice because of its applications to aerospace,” Kawell said.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. The Wall Street Journal ranks Samford 1st nationally for student engagement and U.S. News & World Report ranks Samford 66th in the nation for best undergraduate teaching and 104th nationally for best value. Samford enrolls 5,683 students from 47 states and 19 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference, and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.