Mackie O’Hara, a senior Donaghey Scholar at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been named a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow.

A total of 14,000 students from around the United States applied for the fellowship; O’Hara was one of just 2,000 to earn the honor.

Only 16 awards were given in Mackie’s category of biological anthropology, most of them to graduate students.

“I am thrilled to be awarded the NSF fellowship. It is an honor for first-time, undergraduate applicants to receive it,” O’Hara said.

The research fellowship award includes a $32,000 annual stipend and $12,000 in tuition support for three years, as well as opportunities to apply for additional travel funding.

Dr. Jessica R. Scott, assistant director of the Donaghey Scholars Program, further explained the rigorous competition for the fellowships.

“Undergraduates, graduate students, and first year doctoral students are all eligible to compete for these awards, so her selection is a real testament to Mackie’s hard work and preparation here at UALR,” Scott said.

“The award was very competitive this year. This is an honor for all of the UALR programs with which Mackie is involved.”

O’Hara is majoring in anthropology and minoring in biology and has accepted an offer to pursue a master’s/doctoral degree in biological anthropology at The Ohio State University beginning this fall.

“I have to thank the Donaghey Scholars Program and the anthropology, biology, and earth sciences faculty because they provided constant support, resources, and ideas,” said O’Hara.

For more information about the Donaghey Scholars Program, go to ualr.edu/donagheyscholars.

Go to the Department of Sociology and Anthropology to learn more about Anthropology.

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