MSU’s Garrison, Lile named finalists for distinguished Marshall Scholarship

Contact: Carl Smith

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State senior Evan Garrison and alumnus Spencer Lile are finalists for the Marshall Scholarship, a prominent national award providing up to 50 American students graduate-level studies in the United Kingdom signifying the close relationship between the two countries.

Both undergraduate members of the MSU Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College, with major studies in the university’s James Worth Bagley College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences, the finalists are advancing to the interview phase of the award process later this month.

Garrison, also recently announced as a finalist for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, is a Louis A. Hurst Jr. Presidential Scholar at MSU where he is an aerospace engineering/astronautics and mathematics double major with minors in artificial intelligence, political science and global engineering leadership, as well as a scholar in the honors college advanced-learning pathway Cursus Honorum. The Webb City, Missouri, native intends to pursue a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, with the goal of bridging gaps between experts and policymakers, ultimately supporting and protecting critical space infrastructure via research-based policies that address the growing problem of orbital debris.

Lile of Benton, Arkansas, earned MSU bachelor’s degrees in biomedical engineering/pre-med and physics with a minor in mathematics this spring. His graduate plans include studying computational modeling of how drugs bind and affect various biomolecular pathways related to disease. These computational studies will guide functional studies that enable computational predictions to be turned into applicable drugs. He currently is enrolled as a medical student at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ College of Medicine.

“Both Evan and Spencer are engaged in research at the very forefront of science that has significant potential for developing solutions to critically important, global problems. Issues of this magnitude necessitate cooperation and experiences that broaden perspectives and deepen understanding, which they are both seeking via graduate studies in the U.K.,” said Professor David Hoffman, director of MSU’s Office of Prestigious External Scholarships. “It is remarkable to see how their work on space debris and rare disease treatment respectively was built upon the training, opportunities and mentorship they found at MSU. Ultimately, their research prowess and leadership experiences both on and off campus show the potential to reinforce U.S.-U.K. cooperation that is at the heart of the Marshall Scholarship.”  

Founded in 1953 by Parliament and named in honor of U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, the Marshall Scholarship commemorates the humane ideals of the Marshall Plan and expresses the continuing gratitude of the British people to their American counterparts. Marshall Scholarships are open to U.S. citizens who hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited American college with a minimum 3.7 GPA. The award covers university fees, cost of living expenses and books, while supporting thesis, research and daily travel grants and fares to and from the U.S.

Earlier this year, Garrison was recognized as a Harry S. Truman Scholarship winner, an award honoring the nation’s 33rd president and supporting students pursuing careers in public service. He also is a U.S.-U.K. Science and Technology Stocktake Team Achievement Award nominee, an honor for STEM research collaboration impacting the U.S. Department of Defense and U.K. Ministry of Defense; an Air Force Research Laboratory Phillips Scholar; and an International Public Debate Association Team Debate national champion. He is the 2026 selection for the Harry C. Simrall Award for Engineering Excellence given annually by MSU’s Association of Retired Faculty.

In 2025, Lile received the nationally renowned Astronaut Scholarship, a designation recognizing the best and brightest STEM-focused students in the U.S. He was named a Barry Goldwater Scholar that year for his significant STEM research experience and contributions and received the MSU Outstanding Research Award, given to the most productive undergraduate researcher. His other accolades also include the 2024 MSU Housing and Residence Life Impact Award for developing the strongest staff community within the department. A university Delta Scholar and a semifinalist for the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, Lile graduated with the Stephen D. Lee Scholar distinction given to those who maintain a 4.0 GPA through their academic career.

Mentoring and advising for MSU applicants, nominees and finalists for nationally and internationally competitive scholarships are available from the university’s Office of Prestigious External Scholarships.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters.