Esther Ellsworth, a '98 Flinn Scholar, was one of 20 students to have been named to the USA Today All-USA Academic Second Team. The All-USA Academic Teams are chosen annually from a pool of students who submitted by their two- and four-year colleges and universities across the nation.

Selection is based on the student's excellence in scholarship and leadership on and off campus, with greatest weight placed on "a student's outstanding original academic or intellectual product." In Esther's case, this consisted of a nationwide study of undergraduate mentoring in the life sciences--work that has since evolved into a multi-faceted model that is currently under consideration for publication in a refereed educational journal.

The award is another in a line of Esther's accolades. She has also achieved a Truman Scholarship, Udall Scholarship, National Science Foundation "GK-12" Fellowship, and a Howard Hughes Research Grant.

Esther is currently enrolled Arizona State University’s M.S. Biology program, where she works as a Graduate Research Assistant. She is featured on this website in our Meet the Scholars section.