U of A Honors College Announces 2025 Bodenhamer Fellows

Geethika Atluri

Miles Batson

Ethan Gasaway

Mackenzie Settlage

Sylvia Smith

Payton Woodruff

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The U of A Honors College has selected six incoming first-year students from Arkansas as the recipients of this year’s Bodenhamer Fellowships, all ranging widely in interests and skills. 

The Bodenhamer Fellowship is one of the most prestigious scholarships the university offers to undergraduates, awarding each student up to $80,000 over the four-year course of their education. 

The fellowship largely covers tuition, fees, books, room and board and other academic expenses, providing students with the freedom to pursue original research, study abroad, service learning and academic interests.

Students must score at least a 32 on the ACT and have a grade point average of 3.9 or higher in order to be eligible for the award. Community service, extracurricular activities and evidence of intellectual curiosity, leadership and creativity are also considered in the selection process.

The 2025 Bodenhamer Fellows are:

• Geethika Atluri — Little Rock
• Miles Batson — Farmington
• Ethan Gasaway — Alexander
• Mackenzie Settlage — Fort Smith
• Sylvia Smith — Fayetteville
• Payton Woodruff — Bentonville

“The Honors College welcomes its 27th class of outstanding Bodenhamer fellows, who come to the University of Arkansas with a wealth of experience in intellectual pursuits and service to their communities,” said Lynda Coon, dean of the Honors College. 
The Bodenhamer Foundation, created by Lee Bodenhamer (B.S.B.A.’57, M.B.A.’61, both at U of A, and D.B.A.’68, Harvard), established the Bodenhamer Fellowships in 1998. 

Bodenhamer passed away on Feb. 20, 2025. He is remembered for his deep commitment to education and to Arkansas, supporting programs across the U of A and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. His impact extended far beyond financial support. He remained closely engaged with the fellowship recipients — affectionately known as “Bodies” — offering encouragement and guidance as they pursued careers in medicine, law, research and beyond.  

“The Bodenhamer Fellowship is a testimony to the selfless gift of Lee Bodenhamer, whose spirit and philanthropic zeal lives on through this vibrant and multidimensional fellowship,” Coon said. “We miss him greatly here in Gearhart Hall, the home of the Honors College.” 
Over the summer intersession, the new class of Bodenhamer Fellows will travel to Washington, D.C., for a five-day trip that will include visits to museums, government buildings and historic sites. The summer trip is an annual tradition and helps build bonds among the new Bodenhamer Fellows.  

The new Bodenhamer Fellows will join a group of 174 current and alumni fellows who have benefited from the generous support of the Bodenhamer family. Alumni fellows are excelling in a wide range of career paths, from founding and growing startups to making breakthroughs in the lab to figuring out how to build and power our communities more sustainably. Many are pursuing advanced degrees at universities such as Harvard, Yale and Vanderbilt. 

2025 Bodenhamer Fellows

Geethika Atluri graduated from Little Rock Central High School, where she served as president of the Red Cross Club and led the Science Olympiad team. Outside of school, Atluri worked as a research intern at the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, volunteered at the UAMS Cancer Institute and participated in the UAMS Healthcare Education Active Learning Experience for Regional Scholars program.

She also founded a community project that prepares and distributes baked goods to patients at the Cancer Institute, helped younger students build problem-solving skills as an instructor at Mathnasium and volunteered at Camp Aldersgate, a nonprofit camp serving children with special needs.

Atluri is a National Merit Finalist and an AP Scholar with Distinction who also received an AP Capstone Diploma. She won numerous awards at both state and international science fairs and was honored as a top chemistry student at her high school. Her work in biochemistry was also recognized by the American Chemical Society. 

She plans to major in biology and is the daughter of Ramani and Hemachand Atluri.

Miles Batson graduated from Farmington High School, where he performed leading roles in theater, served as president of the National Honor Society, founded and captained the speech and debate club and competed in Quiz Bowl.

Outside of school, Batson was a member of the Academy for Public Service, which gave him first-hand experience writing and debating bills at the Capitol in Little Rock. He also attended Arkansas Governor’s School and Arkansas Boys State.

A National Merit Finalist and AP Scholar with Distinction, Batson also received the College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition. He earned numerous awards in high school, including certificates of achievement in his AP courses, the WoodmenLife American History Award and the title of Mr. FHS in recognition of his academic performance and community involvement.

He plans to major in engineering and is the son of Jennifer Batson.

Ethan Gasaway graduated from Bryant High School, where he served as battery captain and tenor section leader for the marching band. He also performed with the indoor percussion group, which won three consecutive state championships.

Outside of school, Gasaway shadowed radiation oncologists at the UAMS Proton Center of Arkansas, volunteered on mission trips with his church, led a discipleship group, practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu and served as a caregiver for a family member. He also regularly took classes for drone photography.

An AP Scholar with Distinction, Gasaway earned a place on the Platinum Honor Roll and graduated with distinguished honors. He also received the Percussion Musicianship Award in recognition of his leadership in band.

He plans to major in biology and is the son of Elizabeth and Bryan Gasaway.

Mackenzie Settlage graduated from Fort Smith Southside High School, where she led the Quiz Bowl team and Future Business Leaders of America. She also participated in the National Honor Society, debate team and Key Club.

Outside of school, she practiced American kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, played guitar and deepened her love of nature through the Girl Scouts, where she also served as a camp counselor.

Settlage is a National Merit Finalist and an AP Scholar with Distinction. She also earned the AP Capstone Diploma, has consistently ranked first in her class and received numerous awards for her club service. During her leadership, the Quiz Bowl team ranked among the top in the state.

She plans to major in biological engineering and is the daughter of Latisha and Daniel Settlage.

Sylvia Smith graduated from Fayetteville High School, where she captained the cross country and bowling teams, ran track, served as president of the Green Team, acted as community outreach liaison for the school’s composting program and coordinated recycling efforts for her Ambassadors Service Learning class.

Outside of school, she interned with Wan Shou, assistant professor of engineering at the U of A, conducting research on brain-on-a-chip systems. She also volunteered at Life Source International Inc., assisting in their food pantry and clothing closet.

Smith is a National Merit Finalist. She graduated as a distinguished honors graduate and earned numerous awards through her involvement in honor societies. She also received the Arkansas State Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish.

She plans to major in chemical engineering and is the daughter of Kathleen Wong and Arnold Smith.

Payton Woodruff graduated from Bentonville High School, where he cheered for the varsity co-ed cheer team, helping lead them to a state championship. He also served as both student council president and vice president.

Through the Ignite Professional Studies program, Woodruff worked on projects for Walmart Merchandising and Supply Chain as well as Arvest. He also interned at Walmart Global Technology, where he built dashboards to track server metrics. In addition, he served on the Ignite Student Leadership Team and helped facilitate onboarding events for new students.

Outside of school, he volunteered as a coach for the Boys and Girls Club’s sixth and seventh grade boys basketball teams, ran his own landscaping and handyman business and trained in weightlifting.

Woodruff is a National Merit Finalist, an AP Scholar with Distinction and a recipient of the Distinguished Citizenship Award. He also won a pitch competition for his work with the Walmart Merchandising Team.

He plans to major in data science and is the son of Mischel and Zane Woodruff.

About the Honors College: The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and brings together high-achieving undergraduate students and the university’s top professors to share transformative learning experiences. Each year the Honors College awards fellowships that provide $80,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants. The Honors College is nationally recognized for the high caliber of students it admits and graduates. Honors students enjoy small, in-depth classes, and programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students’ academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. All Honors College graduates have engaged in mentored research.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.