Craig Pearson, an Honors College senior majoring in neuroscience, biochemistry and molecular biology in the College of Natural Science and English in the College of Arts and Letters, has been selected to interview for the Marshall Scholarship in Chicago on November 14.
If awarded, Pearson would become MSU’s 18th Marshall Scholar. Pearson plans to pursue his doctorate in clinical neurosciences from the University of Cambridge.
Pearson wants to develop treatments for blindness and visual impairments. His passion for this stemmed from a high school volunteering position where he worked with students who have visual impairments.
“In the past, going from blindness to sight has seemed practically unthinkable,” said Pearson. “But in today’s climate of groundbreaking scientific research, this phenomenon is not merely possible, but a realistic goal. With dedication and rigorous research, we can restore vision and change lives. I want to be part of that phenomenon – to be there when someone opens his or her eyes and experiences the unimaginable rush of new sight.”
Pearson is from Bloomfield Hills and graduated from University of Detroit Jesuit High School.
Pearson is also a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship, with an interview set for November 22.
He entered MSU as an Alumni Distinguished Scholarship recipient and now serves as an undergraduate research assistant in the MSU Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and an undergraduate lab manager and lead undergraduate researcher for the MSU Digital Humanities and Literary Cognition Lab.
He has served as a clinical volunteer at the MSU Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology. Pearson also is the student managing editor for ReCUR, the Red Cedar Undergraduate Research Journal, and is the founder and managing editor of Exceptions: The Art and Literary Journal for Students with Visual Disabilities.
“We’re thrilled Craig is advancing to the final round of the Marshall Scholarship,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the MSU Honors College. “Craig has impressed us with his academic talent and service to others and we’re hopeful that he’ll be just as impressive during his interview in Chicago.”
The Marshall Commission provides support to approximately 40 of the most outstanding undergraduates in the country to study at any university in the United Kingdom. More information on the Marshall Commission can be found at: http://www.marshallscholarship.org/.
The National and International Fellowship and Scholarship (NIFS) office at Michigan State University, administered by the Honors College, helps interested undergraduate and graduate students to pursue major national and international opportunities by providing information and direct support throughout the competitive application processes. The Honors College serves academically talented, committed students who wish to pursue and achieve academic excellence. The Honors College strives to ensure an enriched academic and social experience for our members and create an environment that fosters active, innovative learning.