Features

As an eighth-grader, Olivia Colavito received treatment from a physical therapist after straining a hamstring during a dance class.

That initial exposure to the science of rehabilitation took root in her mind.

“PT helped me so much,” said Colavito, adding that she was able to return to dancing and running in about six weeks. “Besides myself, I remember the therapists helping so many patients who were very grateful to receive treatment.”

Solomon Williams, one of the top-ranked students in organic chemistry at Rutgers, had a love-hate relationship with science growing up.

It was his least favorite subject until he failed a biology exam. Instead of giving up or getting frustrated, he was inspired to do better.

“Once that happened, I remember that I couldn’t believe I had failed it and thinking that I had to really start trying,” said Williams who is on course to graduate with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, earning a degree in biological sciences and a minor in health and society.

Four Rutgers students have been selected as Goldwater Scholars, a prestigious national honor for undergraduates who plan to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.

When four first-year students launched a research project to tackle a social issue on campus in 2022, they were shocked to learn that nearly a third of Rutgers-New Brunswick students were identified as food insecure in a basic needs study.