VCU undergraduate selected for prestigious Goldwater Scholarship

By William Lineberry
Honors College

A Virginia Commonwealth University junior has been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship, a prestigious national honor for undergraduate STEM students who plan to pursue research careers.

Rohit Paradkar, who is enrolled in VCU's Honors College that emphasizes experiential learning, is majoring in bioinformatics in the College of Humanities and Sciences' School of Life Sciences and Sustainability. He is VCU's 19th Goldwater Scholar in the past 20 years.

Established by Congress in 1986 and conferring scholarships since 1989, the Goldwater program encourages students to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering. Paradkar is among 454 scholars selected for the 2026-27 academic year from nearly 1,500 STEM students, who were nominated by more than 450 academic institutions.

"Receiving the Goldwater Scholarship is incredibly meaningful - it feels like a true recognition of the time and dedication I've invested in research, as well as the mentorship and support that have shaped my journey," Paradkar said. "The application process also gave me the opportunity to reflect on my long-term goals, solidifying my aspiration to become an academic physician-scientist. I hope to use computation and systems biology to better understand and address challenges in cancer therapy at a systems level, and this scholarship brings me one step closer to that goal."

Arturo Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., interim executive vice president and provost, praised Paradkar as representing VCU's larger commitment to undergraduate research, including through its Every Ram's a Researcher initiative.

"VCU's undergraduate researchers are continuing to play a vital role both at our university and across the country and the world," Saavedra said. "At a time when health and data are inextricably linked, I'm proud to have students like Rohit help lead the next generation of undergraduate researchers."

Jeff Wing, director of VCU's National Scholarship Office, which is based in the Honors College and serves as VCU's campus representative for the Goldwater program, said the award - which provides up to $7,500 to cover academic expenses - will further establish Paradkar as a rising research leader.

"He has continued to build on that early research experience … to find impactful ways to contribute to numerous research projects," Wing said. "This recognition, as well as connections to the robust Goldwater alumni network, will help him gain acceptance into top graduate research programs, where he will find new and exciting research opportunities awaiting him."

VCU's National Scholarship Office assists students and alums with applying for national and international scholarships. To learn more about opportunities, visit the NSO website and schedule an appointment.