(Posted April 12, 2017)

Rebekah Ford '19, of Souderton, Pa.
Rebekah Ford '19, of Souderton, Pa.

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Rebekah Ford, a sophomore at Juniata College from Souderton, Pa. studying biology, received an Honorable Mention citation for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, which is chosen based on academic merit in mathematics, science and engineering.

Ford is the daughter of Michael and Valerie Ford, also of Souderton. She is a 2014 graduate of Souderton Area High School.

 The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established by Public Law 99-661 in 1986. The scholarship program honoring the late Sen. Barry M. Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

            Ford has already begun her research education by studying the microbial community structure of hospital water systems to determine the best water treatment method in case of contamination. She is working with Gina Lamendella, associate professor of biology.

Ford is also interested in studying abroad while attending Juniata. She will spend spring semester 2018 at the University of Otago, in Dunedin, New Zealand.

"As a freshman, I was relatively nave about the possibility of research as a career. After my first advising session with my adviser (biologist Gina Lamendella,), I was amazed that there was an exciting, viable and constantly changing career in research."

Rebekah Ford '19

 “As a freshman, I was relatively naïve about the possibility of research as a career,” Ford says. “After my first advising session with my adviser (biologist Gina Lamendella,), I was amazed that there was an exciting, viable and constantly changing career in research.”

Ford maintains an active schedule for on-campus activities as well. She is a member of the Juniata College Concert Choir and has traveled to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Ireland on the group’s international tours.

She is vice president of the college’s PAX-O student club for peace and conflict studies and will serve as president of the Juniata chapter of the American Society for Microbiology for the 2017-2018 academic year. She also serves as an Eagle Ambassador and as a campus tour guide for Juniata’s enrollment department.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.