Swoboda Receives Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship

An eighth Maverick has now been nationally recognized as a pioneer in the fields of natural science, mathematics, and engineering by earning a prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship Award. Abby Swoboda is the only University of Nebraska awardee this year. “I still can’t really believe it,” Swoboda said, grinning from ear to ear. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship annually recognizes undergraduate STEM students for their promise as researchers, awarding 413 students in 2023 with a total of 10,000 students having been recognized since the program’s inception.

Swoboda learned of this recognition at the end of March while in a lab, where research time flies by as she learns from her mentors. In addition to her new scholarship, she recently discovered that her paper “The Periplasmic Tail-Specific Protease, Tsp, Is Essential for Secondary Differentiation in Chlamydia trachomatis,” on which she is first author, has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Bacteriology — before the end of her junior year. It is her second publication.

This national scholarship is one of the most prestigious awards undergraduate students can receive. Those who are awarded the scholarship are given up to $7,500 each semester for tuition, fees, books, and room and board for up to two years. It also carries prestige and a network that lasts a lifetime. To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must excel at their academic and extracurricular activities, and provide a personal essay about what they are doing in their research. The application process can take months and that is even before their work is considered among fellow applications. Earning a scholarship is far from a guarantee.

Meet This Maverick

First Generation Student and Buffett Scholar

A first generation student and Buffett scholar at UNO, Swoboda is also a member of the University Honors Program. She has learned to carefully balance demands on her time while still enjoying her college experience. Swoboda started her research efforts in high school. When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented her from joining the lab in person in early 2020, she invested her time in reading literature in the field and furthering her background knowledge until she could be hands-on in the lab herself.

Since declaring a Molecular and Biomedical Biology major at UNO, Swoboda has stretched the possibilities of research. She has presented her work at several regional conferences, earning highest recognition from the American Society for Microbiology repeatedly with first place awards for her oral presentations. Her department chair, Associate Professor Jill Blankenship, Ph.D, said she is "very proud of her accomplishments and not surprised at all that she won a Goldwater Scholarship. I really appreciated her enthusiasm for science and her energy at the bench.”

An INBRE (Biomedical Research Excellence) scholar, Abby has worked extensively under the direction of Scot Ouellette, Ph.D., at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). He noted she “routinely spends her free time outside of classes in the lab and is always keen to do more and learn more. When Abby joined my lab, she had no research experience. However, this was more than balanced by her motivation and hard work to learn what she needed to master the techniques and understand the project. She is a bright and capable student and a joy to have in the lab. Abby is certainly a worthy Goldwater Scholarship recipient and will represent both UNO and Nebraska well.”

Swoboda spent last summer working at Southern Illinois University with Derek Fisher, Ph.D., who was impressed with her “bench side acumen.” He said “Abby’s drive, dedication, and achievements in academics and research are truly impressive. As a society, we face many challenges in scientific and medical fields and we need bright and enthusiastic persons to push us forward—students like Abby give me hope that we will surmount those challenges. Abby is a quick learner with the confidence to push forward with new approaches while also having the self-awareness and humility to ask for help.”

Swoboda is active on campus helping others too, serving as a mentor to peers in biology classes. She completed the adult mental health first aid training, wanting to be in a position to recognize and support adult mental health crises, while also volunteering with the American Red Cross local blood donation center. She is planning to continue her research efforts and hopes to inspire other STEM students to push themselves and maximize their opportunities.

“Abby is a true Maverick: she is resilient, persistent, and she strives for excellence across all fields. She is willing to try and learn from all experiences, even when they don’t go quite as she might have liked, and that willingness to learn has resulted in this great honor for her,” said Lucy Morrison, Ph.D., Director of the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships. “I would encourage other students, especially sophomores and juniors on campus, to think about applying for such nationally competitive awards, as UNO’s track record with such efforts is great.”

Additional Opportunities for Students

Goldwater Scholars, like Swoboda, typically continue their academic journeys earning their doctoral degrees and often winning additional prestigious post-graduate fellowships such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship or the Rhodes Scholarship.

UNO is committed to connecting outstanding students with the mentoring provided by Morrison and the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships, which works closely with students to identify and pursue prestigious scholarships and other national and international awards through information sessions and one-on-one support during the application process. Students interested in applying for the Goldwater Scholarship or similar national scholarship opportunities should contact the office at UNOonsf@unomaha.edu.