Graduate Fellowship awarded to Nadel ’19

The thirty-sixth annual graduate fellowships granted by the R.J. McElroy Trust was awarded to two students, one of whom was Cornell College’s Samantha Nadel ’19.

“I am incredibly honored to receive this fellowship,” Nadel said. “I am so grateful to my professors and the administration at Cornell for believing in me in every stage of the application process.”

The fellowship carries a stipend of up to $36,000 paid over three years. The Houston, Texas, native was selected from a field of finalists from colleges and universities in northeast Iowa and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in archeology from Boston University.

The fellowships, established by the McElroy Trustees in 1983, are designed to encourage accomplished, intelligent students who have integrity and leadership abilities to pursue challenging academic careers. Based upon satisfactory progress toward a Ph. D. degree, the stipend of $12,000 may be renewed for two additional years.

Nadel, who majored in chemistry and archaeology, says Cornell has prepared her for the future.

“I have learned so much here, both in terms of technical and theoretical material as well as research skills,” Nadel said. “While my time at Cornell had its ups and downs, I know that in the end, it was exactly the right school for me.”

In making the nomination, President Jonathan Brand praised Nadel’s academic and leadership accomplishments.

The McElroy Fellowships were established to support students seeking higher education. The Trust is designed to benefit deserving young people. The Trust benefactor, R. J. McElroy, was a pioneer broadcaster who started the Black Hawk Broadcasting Company in 1947. He died in 1965.

Nina Jocic of the University of Northern Iowa was also awarded a graduate fellowship.