Springfield, Ohio – Reflecting Wittenberg’s commitment to academic excellence, Nicole Perry, class of 2014 from West Chester, Ohio, has been selected for one of only eight national fellowships from the Mortar Board National Foundation.

With a B.A. in biology and a B.S. in chemistry, Perry was chosen to receive this competitive fellowship based on a demonstrated record of academic excellence, strong recommendations, scholarship promise and involvement in Mortar Board, the premier national honor society for college seniors.

Taking advantage of the many high-impact practices Wittenberg offers as part of its active, engaged learning environment, Perry carried a heavy load both in and out of the classroom. A music minor and a member of the Kappa Delta sorority, the Wittenberg Chamber Orchestra, and Pocket Lint, Perry was inducted into several honors societies, including Omicron Delta Kappa, Pick and Pen, Alpha Lambda, and she served as president of the Arrow & Mask chapter of Mortar Board.

In addition to receiving a National Science Foundation grant to pursue 10 weeks of research in microbial ecology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Perry conducted research through Wittenberg’s marine biology Bahamas field study program and in collaboration with Michelle McWhorter, associate professor of biology and Peter Hanson, associate professor of chemistry.

“Scientific research is about persistence and hard work,” Perry says, “I was encouraged by my mentors at Wittenberg University to push for extraordinary, and I hope to maintain that drive throughout my scientific career.”

Perry will use the fellowship for her graduate studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., where she is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences.

“As for my future career plans, I am open to a position in academic research, university teaching, or industry,” Perry says. “I want to be an active contributor to the scientific community and find a career path that is highly exciting and motivating.”