Junior from Shawnee is KU’s 80th Barry M. Goldwater Scholar
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas’ 2025 Barry M. Goldwater Scholar is Alexa Magstadt, a junior from Shawnee majoring in molecular, cellular & developmental biology and minoring in Spanish. Magstadt is KU’s 80th Goldwater scholar.
Congress established the Goldwater scholarship program in 1986 in tribute to the retired U.S. senator from Arizona and to ensure a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers. The only students eligible for nomination are sophomore- and junior-level students with outstanding academic records, significant research experience and high potential for careers in mathematics, the natural sciences or engineering.
“I am honored to have been recognized for doing what I love most,” Magstadt said. “Receiving the Goldwater Scholarship is a reflection of the many faculty mentors, graduate students and peers who have taught me to follow my curiosity and think like a scientist.”
This year, the Goldwater Board of Trustees awarded 441 scholarships to students across the United States. The scholarships cover eligible expenses for undergraduate tuition, fees, books and room and board, up to $7,500 annually.
“The award has not only inspired confidence in my own abilities, but it will allow me to dedicate more time to progressing my research next year,” Magstadt said.
She aspires to obtain a dual M.D./Ph.D. in cancer biology and practice as a physician-scientist and medical oncologist. At the KU Lawrence campus, she has been a member of the Baer Ecology Lab and the Dixon Cancer Prevention Lab.
Last summer, after being selected as a K-INBRE Summer Scholar, she conducted an independent project with Dan Dixon centered around drug discovery in colorectal cancer, specifically inhibiting oncogenic KRAS mutations with small molecule therapeutics.
Currently, she is performing research related to the impact of metabolic syndrome on the progression and metastasis of colorectal cancer with Jennifer Davis at KU Medical Center in the Department of Cancer Biology.
In spring 2024, she presented her work at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in San Diego. She received the Nathan Parker Undergraduate Research Travel Award from the Department of Molecular Biosciences and an Honors Opportunity Award from the University Honors Program to attend this conference.
She was also selected as an oral presenter at the 2024 K-INBRE Annual Symposium. Additionally, she is a 2024 University Scholar, a KU BioScholar, a recipient of a 2024 Undergraduate Research Award and a KU Chancellor’s Merit Scholar.
Magstadt is the vice president of the KU club waterski team, an Honors Program ambassador, a member of Phi Delta Epsilon Pre-Medical Fraternity, a member of Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society and a volunteer at the University of Kansas Cancer Center.
“I met Alexa when she was a freshman, and it has been such a joy watching her grow as a researcher over the past few years,” said Erin Wolfram, program director of the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships. “Alexa’s drive and optimism are unparalleled, and I couldn’t be happier seeing her achieve her goal of becoming a Goldwater Scholar.”
Goldwater alumni can be found conducting research that is helping defend the nation, finding cures for catastrophic diseases and teaching future generations of scientists, mathematicians and engineers. KU students interested in applying for Goldwater scholarships next year should contact the Office of Fellowships via email.