Congratulations to the 2021 undergraduate fellowship awardees
2021 fellowships awarded to four undergraduate students
Published May 10, 2021
The Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo is pleased to announce thatRyan Swick, Alaina Bailey, Sydney Brongo, and Emily Bouffard are each recipients of our 2021 undergraduate fellowships. Thefellowships are made possible by the generous support of our donors. The awards recognize each undergraduate student's outstanding academic achievements and services at UB.
2021 Undergraduate Fellowships Awards
Ryan Swick, (Lee lab), $1,500., McCroskey Endowment Fellow
Sydney Brongo, (Xu-Friedman lab), $1,250., Abate Endowment Fellow
Emily Bouffard, (Krabbenhoft lab), $1,250., Miles Endowment Fellow
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Fellowships and Scholarships
Our generous alumni and friends have established fellowship and scholarship programs aimed at enhancing the educational experiences of our undergraduate students. These fellowships and scholarships are open to undergraduates who are majors and/or intending to major in Biological Sciences and are interested in conducting research. We strongly encourage all our students to apply for fellowships and scholarships.
The Scholarship Application Portal is now closed. Please check back in Fall 2025 for future scholarship opportunities.
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Contact
For questions or further information please contact Dr. Nitasha Sehgal.
ABOUT THE DONOR Dr. Raszl received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from UB Department of Biological Sciences and M.D. from the Vermont College of Medicine. He went on an extremely successful medical career, including becoming the Chairman of the Department of Medicine at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco, California. Raszl retired in 2005 and remains grateful for the education and guidance he received from UB Department of Biology.
ABOUT THE AWARD The Raszl fellowship aims to provide a student in the first semester of their junior year with financial support. The awardee will be announced in early November. The amount of fellowships depends on the application and available funds (often ranges from $1,000 - $2,000 per year).
ELIGIBILITY
Must currently be in the first semester of their junior year – and must be eligible to, or must declare a Biological Sciences major by the end of current semester.
Resume - Your resume should include student ID#, email address, employment history.
Current Academic Advisement Report.
One-page cover letter describing scholarship/service, your longer term career goals (no more than 500 words).
Half-page description of financial need. (no more than 300 words).
One letter of recommendation from a faculty member. Students must add the email address of the faculty member writing the letter of recommendation. Letter-writers will be sent a link to upload the letter.
WE APPRECIATE DONOR SUPPORT.
ABOUT THE DONOR
The Research Fellowship was established by Dr. Joseph T. Abate, who received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology (1991) from UB Department of Biological Sciences. He then went on to receive his DMD degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1995. Dr. Abate has practiced in all phases of general dentistry in multiple states across the US. He is currently the Director of Dental Affairs at National Association of Veteran Affairs Physicians and Dentists. He has given numerous presentations on oral health and its relation to general health. We are grateful to the Dr. Abate’s commitment to ensure the excellence of the undergraduate education in our department.
ABOUT THE AWARD The undergraduate research fellowship was endowed by Joseph T. Abate, DMD, with the intent of supporting the research experiences of undergraduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences.
This fellowship aims to provide a student in the first semester of their senior year with financial support to facilitate undergraduate research during the academic year.
The awardee will be announced in early November. The amount of fellowships depends on the application and available funds (often ranges from $1,000 - $2,000 per year).
ELIGIBILITY
Must currently be in the first semester of their senior year.
Resume. Should include student ID#, email address, employment history
Current Academic Advisement Report
1-Page cover letter describing scholarship/service, your longer-term career goals, as well as briefly describe the project that you like to undertake (no more than 500 words)
One letter of recommendation from a faculty member. Students must add the email address of the faculty member writing the letter of recommendation. Letter-writers will be sent a link to upload the letter.
If you are selected to receive this fellowship, you will have until November 15 to secure a position in a research laboratory in the Department of Biological Sciences.
WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF OUR DONORS.
ABOUT THE DONORS
The Endowment Scholarship was established by Irving and Natalie Knobloch. Irving Knobloch received his bachelor’s (1930) and master’s (1932) in Biological Sciences from University at Buffalo. He completed his PhD in botany from Iowa State University in 1942. He returned to UB to teach from 1942 to 1945, and then went on Michigan State University, teaching botany for over thirty years, until his retirement in 1976. He authored twelve books and over one-hundred-fifty scientific articles. In establishing this fellowship, Knobloch stated: “In 1929 when I became undergraduate student at UB, the Great Depression hit the world hard, but fortunately UB gave me an assistantship that paid for my tuition and helped me complete my degree… This gift is a way to show my gratitude to my alma matter.”
ABOUT THE AWARD The Knobloch Award aims to provide students entering their senior year with financial support in their senior year. The amount of fellowship depends on the application and available funds, often ranging from $1,000 to $2,000.
ELIGIBILITY
Enrolled in the first semester of senior year at the time of application.
Must be a declared Biological Sciences major.
High level of scholarship and service (e.g., TA-ships, previous research experience, tutoring, other volunteering experiences, Habitat for Humanity, etc.).
Resume. Your resume should include student ID#, email address, employment history, as well as all relevant experience to show scholarship and service
Current Academic Advisement Report
One-page cover-letter describing scholarship/service, and your longer-term career goals (no more than 500 words).
One letter of recommendation from a faculty member. Students must add the email address of the faculty member writing the letter of recommendation. Letter-writers will be sent a link to upload the letter.
WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF OUR DONORS.
ABOUT THE DONORS
The scholarship was endowed by Sidney and Marjorie McCroskey. Sidney McCroskey became an undergraduate at the University at Buffalo in 1936, and went on to a long and successful career at Alleghany-Ludlum Corporation, now Alleghany Technologies, Inc, a specialty metals company. McCroskey attributes his successful career to his education at UB. The endowment was established in 1992 to demonstrates Sidney and Marjorie McCroskey’s commitment to supporting the best scientific education possible for students majoring in Biological Sciences at UB.
ABOUT THE AWARD The award aims to provide students entering their senior year with financial support in their senior year. The amount of fellowship depends on the application and available funds (often ranges from $1,000 to $2,000).
ELIGIBILITY
Enrolled in the first semester of senior year at the time of application.
Must be a declared Biological Sciences major.
High level of scholarship and service (e.g., TA-ships, previous research experience, tutoring, other volunteering experiences, Habitat for Humanity, etc.).
Resume. Your resume should include student ID#, email address, employment history, as well as all relevant experience to show scholarship and service.
Current Academic Advisement Report.
One-page cover-letter describing scholarship/service, your longer-term career goals (no more than 500 words).
Half-page description of financial need (no more than 300 words).
One letter of recommendation from a faculty member. Students must add the email address of the faculty member writing the letter of recommendation. Letter-writers will be sent a link to upload the letter.
WE APPRECIATE DONOR SUPPORT.
ABOUT THE DONOR The Philip G. Miles Undergraduate Research Fellowship was endowed by Dr. Wei-Li Lee to honor her mentor, Dr. Philip G.Miles, who worked and taught at the UB Department of Biological Sciences for over fifty years. For several years following his retirement in 2002, Dr. Miles continued to mentor students and participate in University committees. The donor, Dr. Wei-Li Lee, was supervised by Dr. Miles in the completing research MA and PhD in Biological Sciences. Dr. Wei-Li Lee is a scientist in the Department of Dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Her current research focuses on the effects of physical and chemical stimuli on the skin in an attempt to understand how cells communicate and react to certain stimuli and/or insults. Dr. Lee's laboratory has established many in vitro cell models describing how various cells interact with respect to self-defense and innate and adaptive immunity.
ABOUT THE AWARD The Philip G. Miles Undergraduate Research Fellowships aim to provide UB Biological Sciences students in the first semester of their senior year with financial support to perform research in their senior year. The amount of each award depends on the application and available funds. The Miles Undergraduate Research Fellowship awards often range between $1,000. to $1,500. Applications open in each spring.
ELIGIBILITY
Must currently be in the first semester of their senior year.
Resume. Should include student ID#, email address, employment history
Current Academic Advisement Report
One-page Cover Letter describing your scholarship/service, your longer-term career goals as well as briefly describe the project that you like to undertake (no more than 500 words) – special consideration will be given to unique, curiosity-driven projects that would not be possible to undertake without the support of this scholarship (no more than 500 words)
Letter of Approval: Students must add the email address of the faculty member in whose lab they propose to work in their senior year. Letter-writers will be sent a link to upload the letter.
LISTING OF AWARD-WINNING UNDERGRADUATES
Thank you to the generous donors who support our students.
Congratulations to our undergraduate awardees
2024 Undergraduate Awards
Fall 2024 Biological Sciences Fellowship Awards
Abate Research Fellowship Award (up to $1,500) For research performed in BIO Department: David Oughterson, $1,000. (Oliveros Lab) Catherine Clark, $500. (C. Krabbenhoft Lab)
Emily Bonacquisti, (Paul Gollnick), $1,250., Miles Fellowship, 2017 and 2018, leading to UB Pharmacy.
Ryan Kaminski, (Dziask), $,1500., Alumni Fellow, 2017 and 2018.
SPOTLIGHT ON ACHIEVEMENTS OF UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWS
Umair Syed (2020 Razsl Fellow) currently an MD student at Jacobs School of Medicine.
Omolara Adeyemi (2020 Razsl Fellow) currently in the PREP post-baccalaureate program at University of Michigan.
Ryan Swick (2021 Mccroskey Fellow) currently a MS student in the Biochemistry and Cell Biology program at Stony Brook University.
Emily Bouffard (2021 Miles Fellow) currently a MS student in Wilfrid Laurier University.
Hannah Zazulak (2019 McCroskey Fellow) currently a MD student at the University of New England.
Katherine Eaton (2019 Miles Fellow) currently a PhD student at Auburn University.
Michaela Richter (2019 Miles Fellow) currently a MS student at UB Biological Sciences.
Lulu He (2018 Miles Fellow) currently a MS student of UB pharmacy.
Lynn Sidor (2018 McCroskey Fellow) is now a PhD student at University of Rochester
Nana Ayoluwa (2018 Knobloch Fellow) now works at Applied Microbiota.
Connor Cook (2017 McCroskey Fellow) is now studying at New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Logan Fahrenkopf (2017 McCroskey Fellow) now works at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.
Kwang Jin(Moses) Chung(2017 Knobloch Fellow) is now a MD/PhD student at Washington University.
Emily Bonacquisti (2017 Miles Fellowship) is now a PhD student at UB pharmacy.
Alexa Bracci(2016 McCroskey Fellow) is graduating with highest honors and she will be studying for her graduate degree in Cornell University, UK.
Hannah Calkins (2016 Alumni Fellow) has received an outstanding research award for her poster presentation at the UB’s Undergraduate Research Symposium.