Swimming and diving captain David Zoltowski became a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship last week. If honored, electrical engineering senior Zoltowski will be the 17th MSU student to receive the scholarship — the last was track athlete Molly Brennan in 1982.
The Rhodes Scholarship is granted to a student who possesses outstanding leadership qualities, commitment to service and intellect — those who are “leaders for the world’s future,” according to The Rhodes Trust website. Winners are given the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in England.
“I’m very excited,” said Zoltowski in statement. “I’ve been waiting to hear about this for a long time.”
Zoltowski will head to his home state of Indiana later this month to interview for the scholarship in Indianapolis.
According to Spartan Athletics, Zoltowski became the 36th MSU recipient of the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, the MSU Honors College National Scholarship, Walter R. Yates Memorial Scholarship and Arthur J. Harris Memorial Scholarship.
“David is a proven leader and scholar,” said student-athlete support services director Jim Pignataro said in a released statement. “He has exemplified the true meaning of the term student-athlete. We continue to celebrate his academic accomplishments, and are in awe of his commitment to his research and the sport of swimming.”
He has been named the a Big Ten Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten, and participates in Student-Athlete Advisory Council, honors society Eta Kappa Nu and Honors Time Two mentor in addition to swimming and diving.
“I chose Michigan State because (head coach Matt Gianiodis) gave me an opportunity to swim in the Big Ten Conference,” said Zoltowski.“I majored in engineering because of the important skills the major develops. I’m studying the brain as an application to my research because I find it very interesting and want to learn more about developmental disorders.”
Zoltowski was also nominated for the Churchill Scholarship last week. The Winston Churchill Foundation gives 14 students the opportunity to pursue a degree in engineering, mathematics or science in Churchill’s College at the University of Cambridge. If he wins it, Zoltowski will be also MSU’s 17th recipient for this scholarship.
“I have never been more proud about anything here at Michigan State,” Gianiodis said in a released statement. “This is fantastic — it is great for the university...I think David has a good chance of getting it too. He is without question the hardest worker we have ever had here in my 18 years at Michigan State. He is fully without question deserving of this honor. No one has worked harder to get something like this and it has been truly earned.”
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “Swimming and diving senior captain David Zoltowski is a finalist for academic scholarship, with several others under his belt” on social media.
