Eastern Michigan University student athlete wins prestigious National Science Foundation scholarship
Kyle Martin, an environmental science major, has won multiple scholarships and fellowships during his time at Eastern Michigan University.
Eastern Michigan University senior Kyle Martin has been awarded a scholarship from the National Science Foundation for postgraduate research. The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program is a highly competitive scholarship program for students in STEM fields, and sees roughly 12,000 applications per year.
According to an article on Eastern Michigan University’s website, Dr. Katherine Greenwald, one of Martin’s mentors and professor of biology and environmental science, shared praise and admiration for her student and his significant accomplishments. She was quoted as saying, “Kyle is a truly exceptional student. He is innately curious and immensely determined, as evidenced by his challenging program of study. His research involvement has demonstrated excellent critical thinking skills and strong self-motivation. Across the board, he has demonstrated an exceptional degree of initiative, persistence, and dedication, and perhaps the strongest work ethic I have ever observed in any student. I have no doubt that Kyle will succeed in graduate school and beyond. He is already working at a level that I would be pleased to see in a graduate student, so I believe his future potential is unlimited."
Having earned the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship program, Martin is entitled to $37,000 in annual funding for three years as he continues his research. He has been accepted into graduate programs at Texas A&M, the University of Arizona, the University of Idaho, and the University of Michigan. He will be studying wildlife ecology at the institution he eventually chooses.
Martin will be spending the summer in Idaho already; he also earned the Dr. L. David Mech National Wolf Fellowship which will allow him to study wolf populations at The International Wolf Center.
Explaining the pride and relief he feels about winning the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Martin said, “During undergrad, I was focused on financially supporting myself by working two or three jobs and building my resume through participating in extracurricular activities. The NSF fellowship will allow me to make my education my number one priority without the burden of carrying financial strain."
He went on to say that his mentors had a hand in helping him prepare his essay for the scholarship application as he made upward of 30 drafts. “Winning the NSF was not just about me. It was a win for the whole community because of the collaborative efforts. Many individuals were involved in my professional development at EMU. Two of my biggest mentors were Dr. Ann Eisenberg and Dr. Katherine Greenwald. Dr. Greenwald taught me about the different elements of research and how diverse ecology is while Dr. Eisenberg reviewed my essays and provided valuable feedback,” he said.
Martin’s school career has been full of accomplishments. The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship is only the latest on his list. He has also won the Glenna Frank Miller Collegiate Award for Leadership. In addition, he participated in the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group and the Huron River Watershed Council, and he was a lead student fellow in the Honors College. He also served as the team captain of track and field for three years.
For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the school’s website.