GEORGETOWN, TEXAS - From a pool of more than 5,000 applicants, biochemistry/mathematics junior and Dixon Scholar Brian Armijo '25 was selected as a 2024 Goldwater scholar - Southwestern's first ever recipient of the scholarship. The Goldwater Scholarship Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics in the United States, seeks to identify, encourage, and financially support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming this nation's next generation of research leaders in these fields.

Armijo, who broke the all-time cross-country school record this Fall, is currently participating in Track and Field and gearing up for the SCAC Championships this weekend. He had this to say about being selected as a Goldwater Scholar, "I am extremely honored to have been selected as a 2024 Goldwater Scholar. I see it as a testament to how I've grown in my academic and extracurricular pursuits. In fact, I was able to take a unique approach to the application process for this award thanks to the many connections I've made between various academic and athletic pursuits throughout my career. The way I approached building my application was very similar to how I'd approach building a training block or racing plan for a season, and I believe that helped break down an otherwise daunting task."

"Additionally, I see this recognition as an exciting opportunity for the Southwestern community as a whole because I know we have countless capable students who are just as deserving of this award. As I've eluded to, the application process can seem quite overwhelming at first glance, but I'm looking forward to serving as a source of guidance and support for future SU applicants by helping them integrate personal connections into their application much like I did."