Chemistry Students Meet St. Louis Benefactor

COMMERCE, Texas — Two chemistry scholarship recipients at Texas A&M University-Commerce recently met their benefactor at his St. Louis science and high tech company.

A&M-Commerce research assistants Erica Parker and Anna Vladimirova met Dr. Jai Nagarkatti, A&M-Commerce alumnus, president and chief executive officer of Sigma-Aldrich, an international company with facilities in 36 countries that manufactures biochemical and organic chemical products.

Parker, a Malakoff chemistry undergraduate student, and Vladimirova, a Sofia, Bulgaria chemistry undergrad, are the first recipients of the Jai and Susan Nagarkatti Chemistry Fellowship. The 2008-2009 scholarships are $1,000 per semester.

Both students were excited to recently go to St. Louis to meet Jai Nagarkatti and tour the company. “Meeting Dr. Nagarkatti and his colleagues has given me tremendous inspiration in my decision to pursue a career in medicinal chemistry,” said Vladimirova, who hopes to develop medications.

Parker said the scholarship assists in her education and motivates her to excel. “I am honored to be recognized for my academic efforts in chemistry,” said Parker, who wants to attend graduate school and earn a master’s degree.

The Nagarkatti fellowship helps A&M-Commerce to recruit and retain “even more numbers of top-quality students in the A&M-Commerce chemistry program,” said Dr. Allan Headley, dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

“We are grateful to Dr. Nagarkatti and his wife for their generosity,” Headley said.

Headley and A&M-Commerce President Dan Jones escorted the students to St. Louis to meet Nagarkatti and tour Sigma-Aldrich. “The Sigma-Aldrich facilities are very impressive. They have state-of-the-art instrumentation and conduct cutting edge research,” Headley said.

The Nagarkattis are both graduates of A&M-Commerce. Jai received a master’s degree in 1972 and a doctorate in 1976 and Susan earned a bachelor’s degree in 1973 and master’s in 1975.

AT SIGMA-ALDRICH – Texas A&M University-Commerce chemistry students Erica Parker (front right) and Anna Vladimirova (back right) meet Dr. Jai Nagarkatti (front left), A&M-Commerce alumnus, president and chief executive officer of Sigma-Aldrich. The two students are the first recipients of the Jai and Susan Nagarkatti Chemistry Fellowship. At back are Dr. Allan Headley, A&M-Commerce dean of Graduate Studies and Research, and A&M-Commerce President Dan Jones. Sigma-Aldrich is an international company with facilities in 36 countries that manufactures biochemical and organic chemical products.