ANN ARBOR— Christopher Hayward, a University of Michigan senior in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts from Shelby Township, has been selected as one of only 11 students in the country to receive a prestigious Churchill Scholarship for the 2005-06 academic year. 

Hayward, who studies mathematics, physics and astronomy, will be attending Churchill College at Cambridge University. He said he would be taking courses in applied mathematics and theoretical physics.

“My specific choices are courses in quantum field theory, general relativity and cosmology. I’m particularly interested in studying ideas related to black holes,” Hayward said. “Stephen Hawkings’ book ‘A Brief History of Time,’ which I read in high school, played a big role in my decision to pursue a career in science,” he said. “I hope to run into him while I’m there.”

The Churchill Scholarship covers full tuition and fees and a substantial allowance to cover living and travel expenses, and is sponsored by the Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States to encourage the exchange of knowledge and the sharing of ideas in science and technology between the United States and Great Britain. Depending on the field of study and recent rates of exchange, the value of a Churchill Scholarship is approximately $31,000 to $36,000, according to the foundation.

Following his year at Cambridge, Hayward plans to return to the U.S. for graduate school to earn his Ph.D. and become a professor. “I want to do research, of course, but I am excited by teaching and the opportunity of sharing the knowledge I’ve gained with others,” Hayward said.

This is the first time in many years that a U-M student has won this award, said Elleanor Crown, scholarship coordinator and senior advisor of the LS&A Honors Program.

“Chris has been a joy to work with since his summer orientation in 2001” Crown said. “He was initially assigned to me for Academic Advising and we have found many areas of common interest from theoretical math to Asian culture. His intellectual curiosity and admirable work ethic have served him well and made it possible for him to get the maximum possible benefits from his undergraduate education.”

“What really distinguishes the Churchill competition from most of the prestigious awards for graduate study in Great Britain is that it requires the submission of Graduate Record Exam scores, both generals and subject tests,” Crown explained.   Because GRE test dates and Churchill deadlines don’t line up well, students who want to be eligible for the scholarship need to take the GREs by the spring of junior year. “This is not just a planning issue,” Crown said. “Many science students, even the high achieving ones, are not ready for GREs at the end of third year, which limits the number of potential candidates for the award.” U-M nominees are chosen by the Science Scholarship Committee, chaired by Biology Professor Emeritus David G. Shappirio.   The Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States was established in 1959 as an expression of American admiration for “one of the great leaders of the free world.” With Churchill’s endorsement, the Foundation began the scholarship program and sponsorship of faculty fellowships. 

Related links:

• Churchill Scholarship
• Major scholarships, and application guidelines for U-M students