Featured Testimonial About Creighton University
That experience set my career trajectory and continues to guide my work today as a scientist committed to improving lives through agriculture and soil health.
As a Ferlic Fellow in 2010, Zach Stewart spent a summer in a Creighton lab and in the field studying the silk proteins of blackflies—tiny insects that spread river blindness. The work was careful and deliberate, but each small discovery fueled his curiosity. That experience opened a path that led from Omaha to Tanzania and, ultimately, to a career leading global agricultural research that helps farmers feed their families and communities.
Years later, another Ferlic Fellow, Ty Monson, stood at a similar microscope, studying neurons linked to ALS. His research grew from compassion—first caring for a friend with a chronic neurological condition, then shadowing at the Mayo Clinic. In the lab, he discovered how to turn empathy into action and science into service.
For two decades, the Dr. Randolph M. and Teresa Kolars Ferlic Fund in Undergraduate Science Research has embodied the Ignatian call to “go forth and set the world on fire.” Through their generosity, Dr. Randy Ferlic, BS’58, MD’61, HON’02, and Terry Kolars Ferlic have empowered hundreds of Creighton students like Zach and Ty to explore boldly, think deeply, and serve meaningfully through research.
What began in 2006 with 13 summer fellows has grown into a thriving tradition. Each summer, 37 undergraduates now engage in hands-on research guided by dedicated faculty mentors. To date, 258 students have received 284 awards, representing 11 disciplines and countless moments of discovery.
“An astounding 76% of Ferlic Fellows have pursued graduate or professional education after Creighton,” says Ashley Fricks-Gleason, PhD, director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (CURAS). “Each one demonstrates that curiosity, once kindled, can ignite a lifetime of purpose.”
At this year’s Ferlic Fellows Poster Presentation, Creighton celebrated 20 years of the program.
“Our current and former Fellows’ talents and achievements reflect the incredible span of Bluejays shaped by this program. Dr. and Mrs. Ferlic don’t just fund research — they show up, engage, and remind our students that they belong at Creighton and that their ideas matter.”
— Bridget Keegan, PhD, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
“The Ferlic Fellowship gave me focus to my career journey. That summer in the lab showed me that my fascination with insects on my family farm in Iowa could connect cutting-edge science with global impact. It was the first time I realized research could be both a vocation and a service—helping to address diseases and challenges far beyond my own community. That experience set my career trajectory and continues to guide my work today as a scientist committed to improving lives through agriculture and soil health.”
— Zachary Stewart, PhD, BS’11, 2010 Ferlic Research Fellow, Chief Scientist & VP of Research, International Fertilizer Development Center
“Terry and Dr. Randy Ferlic have made undergraduate research a transformative experience for Creighton students—sparking discovery, developing skills, and inspiring a lifetime of curiosity. St. Ignatius reminds us, ‘Go forth and set the world on fire,’ and through the fellowship, students have done just that. We are deeply grateful for their vision and enduring impact.”
— Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD, President, Creighton University
“Through caring for a family friend and witnessing the resilience of ALS patients at the Mayo Clinic, I discovered my vocation to uphold human dignity. At Creighton, with the mentorship of Dr. Surabhi Shukla and the support of the Ferlic Fellowship, I’ve been able to transform that calling into research and prepare for the future I feel called to pursue.”
— Ty Monson, 2025 Ferlic Fellow, College of Arts and Sciences Class of 2026
