Claremont McKenna College Student Alvin Villarosa '25 named Barry Goldwater Scholar

Alvin Villarosa '25, a Claremont McKenna College Science Management major with a concentration in neuroscience, has been awarded the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, the highest governmental honor for undergraduate students pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM).

Awarded to college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming the next generation of research leaders, the Goldwater Scholarship is among the oldest and most sought-after undergraduate scholarships in the STEM fields. Eleven Claremont McKenna students have been named Goldwater Scholars since Congress established the scholarship in 1986 to honor U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater.

"Alvin is an extremely promising scholar," said Claremont McKenna Professor Wei-Chin Hwang. "I have no doubt that he will make significant contributions to the field and help address important public health issues."

Born in the Philippines and raised in Smyrna, TN, Villarosa embodies the College's mission to prepare students for thoughtful and productive lives and responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions, and to pursue scholarship that contributes to intellectual vitality and the understanding of public policy issues. He is one of 438 Goldwater Scholars selected from a pool of 1,353 undergraduate students nominated by 446 academic institutions in the United States, according to the Barry Goldwater Scholarship & Excellence in Education Foundation. The scholarship provides up to $7,500 per academic year.

For his research work, Villarosa has investigated seizures in mice, looking at potential dysregulated glycoproteins in neurons and their electrical properties using electroencephalography. His ultimate goal is to attend medical school and pursue a PhD to research ways to alleviate epilepsy symptoms and disorders.

"After graduation, I hope to diagnose and investigate certain neurological disorders using electrophysiological techniques and drug intervention," said Villarosa. "I hope to conduct my own translational research at an academic medical institution or research hospital."