MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) is proud to announce that Chelsea Comadoll, PhD, associate professor of chemistry, has been named the Barkman Endowed Professor in Chemistry. This prestigious endowment, funded by MNU alumni Brent and Lynette Barkman, provides crucial support for faculty research, student opportunities, and program enhancements in the sciences.
Dr. Comadoll, who has been at MNU for three years, is both honored and humbled by the recognition. “Endowments are a big deal,” she said. “You look at endowed professorships at these flagship schools, and they don’t usually happen until you’re old and gray. This doesn’t happen to 30-year-olds, so I am incredibly honored.”
Encouraged by Dr. Comadoll’s mentorship, MNU science students have recently achieved new heights, including multiple REU placements and the university’s first named Goldwater Scholar, Samuel Powell. Earning these prestigious opportunities is rare for students at smaller universities, highlighting the strength and credibility of MNU’s academic programs and the professor/student interaction that is a hallmark of the university’s educational experience.
The Barkmans, long-time supporters of MNU, previously established the Barkman Endowed Professor in Science, a title held by Rion Taylor, PhD, professor of biology. Dr. Comadoll expressed appreciation for the impact this kind of funding has on MNU’s science programs. “Dr. Taylor has been very gracious and generous in how he has directed his Barkman endowment to support the department, and I’m excited that chemistry will now also benefit. To the Barkmans, I would like to say, the endowment is a game changer, and I am honored to represent both of you as the Barkman Endowed Professor in Chemistry for years to come.”
One of the most significant benefits of the endowment is its ability to provide financial flexibility for lab upgrades, research projects, and student opportunities. Dr. Comadoll is already envisioning how the funding can be used to further enhance the chemistry program. “I’m dreaming about what to upgrade, what conferences I can get students involved in,” she said.
Thanks to fundraising initiatives like this, students have already had the chance to present their research at major conferences across the country. This week, Dr. Comadoll is accompanying five students—Samuel Powell, Aidan Thomas, Alex Cummins, Noah Beal, and Avery Ferguson—to the American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Diego, California. Three of the five students will present their research at the conference.
Reflecting on the honor, Dr. Comadoll shared, “It makes me feel deeply gratified that in just three years, the effort, hard work, and dedication I’ve tried to demonstrate to my students and this community is being acknowledged.”
MNU celebrates Dr. Comadoll’s achievement and looks forward to the impact this endowed professorship will have on students, faculty, and the future of chemistry education at the university.
