Mary Lowe Good Legacy Scholarship


Dr. Mary Lowe Good was a native Arkansan and distinguished chemist, professor, industrial innovator, and government leader who broke many glass ceilings for women in science. Dr. Good was born in Grapevine, Texas but grew up in Kirby and Willisville, Arkansas. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Physics from the University of Central Arkansas. She then went on to be the first woman in Arkansas to earn her Master’s in Science degree and Ph.D. in Chemistry and Physics from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

After completing her studies, Dr. Good became the first woman at Louisiana State University and the University of New Orleans to earn recognition as a Boyd Professor of Materials in Science for the Division of Engineering Research. Dr. Good taught in the Louisiana State University system for 25 years and published over 100 scholarly articles before being named the Director of Research for Universal Oil Products and then the President of the Signal Research Center, Inc. now known as Honeywell.

After the election of President Carter, Dr. Good accepted a role in the Executive Branch n and continued to influence change for women throughout the presidencies of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. In 1980, she was appointed to the board of the National Science Foundation by President Carter, and in 1991, she was appointed President of the White House Science Council, now known as the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, by President George H.W. Bush. Dr. Good completed her time in government serving as the Secretary of Technology in the Department of Commerce during the Clinton Administration. During this time she advocated for the Clean Car Initiative and for emerging technologies and research. Her government service came to a close in 1997.

After leaving the government, Dr. Good returned to Arkansas as a Donaghey Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and was a founding Dean of the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. She retired from UA Little Rock in 2011 and was named Dean Emeritus and a Special Advisor to the Chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for Economic Development. During her career, Dr. Good was awarded the Garvan-Olin Medal from the American Chemical Society for advances in chemistry for women, the Othmer Gold Medal for progress in Chemistry, the Priestley Medal of the highest honor in Chemistry, the Vannevar Bush Award of highest honor from the National Science Foundation’s, the Heinz Award for technology, economy, and employment, and inducted into the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame in 2015. She was also the first woman to be elected to the board of the American Chemical Society and the first female president of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. She was a charter member of the Arkansas Academy of Computing, helping found this group in 2006.

Throughout her career, Dr. Good was an advocate for quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education on every level as well as a firm promoter of women in STEM. It is the goal of the members of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas to continue the legacy of Dr. Mary Lowe Good by financially assisting a young woman who is looking to continue making daring strides and advancements in the STEAM field. Likewise, it is an honor for EAST to manage this process and help continue Dr. Good’s legacy--she was an EAST supporter from our earliest days.

Scholarship Guidelines

The Mary Lowe Good Legacy Scholarship, made possible by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, is a $1,000 non-renewable scholarship for an EAST student meeting the eligibility requirements listed below. An eligible student must:

  • Identify as female
  • Have senior status and be graduating from a high school in Arkansas
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
  • Be accepted in a two or four year college or university, or a recognized trade school or vocational program
  • Have completed a minimum of 100 hours of community service as a part of their participation in an EAST program during high school

Priority consideration will be given to applicants based upon the following:

  • Level of financial need
  • Classification as a first-generation college student
  • Minority status
  • Level of community Involvement
  • Potential to succeed
  • Amount of time dedicated to EAST
  • Recommendation of someone familiar with your work in EAST (e.g. facilitator, administrator, community partner, etc.)
  • Interest in a STEAM area of study
  • Digital examples of EAST work
  • An essay focusing on how the student will continue Dr. Good’s legacy

Applications must be submitted digitally by Friday, May 15, 2020, at 3:00 pm CDT.
Scholarship recipients will be selected by an independent advisory committee appointed by EAST.
Scholarship funds will be distributed directly to the specified institution of higher education.

Please direct all other questions to scholarships@EASTstaff.org.