ATHENS, OHIO -- Three Ohio University students have been singled out among hundreds of undergraduate students nationwide for prestigious national awards.

Katherine Smith of Dayton, Ohio, was awarded the Harry S. Truman Scholarship and Dan Wik of Springboro, Ohio, and Matt Hill of Brecksville, Ohio, were awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship.

Smith, a junior, was one of 77 scholars chosen for the Truman Scholarship, which is awarded to students who are interested in pursuing careers in public service. Scholars are selected on the basis of leadership potential, intellectual ability and likelihood of “making a difference.”

An English major in the Honors Tutorial College, Smith will receive $3,000 for her senior year and $27,000 for law school through the Truman Scholarship. Scholars also receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate counseling and special internship opportunities with the federal government.

“Katherine is internally driven, very ambitious and clear-sighted about her goals,” said Linda Zionkowski, an associate professor English and one of Smith's mentor. “She is a wonderfully charismatic person.”

Wik and Hill, both juniors, were two of 309 undergraduates nationwide to receive the Goldwater Scholarship, which rewards math, science and engineering students of outstanding potential with support for the completion of undergraduate studies. Wik, an astrophysics major in the Honors Tutorial College, and Hill, a biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology and legal communications major, will each receive a maximum stipend of $7,500 for next year to cover tuition, fees, books and room and board.

One of Wik's mentors, Joseph Shields, an associate professor of physics and astronomy, said a combination of experience and solid academics made him a good candidate for the award. “He has sought out a lot of opportunities to go beyond what happens in the classroom and has been involved in several research projects,” Shields said.

Roger Aden, a professor of interpersonal communication, said Hill is one of the best undergraduate students he has had in his classroom in the 17 years he's been teaching college students. “Matt's work is outstanding. He is a tremendously bright student.”

Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit, undergraduate research and a written research proposal from a field of 1,155 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.

Ohio University's Office of Nationally Competitive Awards is dedicated to helping the university's students prepare and apply for various prestigious awards given to students around the world.

Contact: Director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards Ann Brown, (740) 593-2725, or Media Specialist Jennifer Kirksey Smith, (740) 597-1796.