NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt men’s cross country senior Max Beck was named the recipient of a $10,000 scholarship by the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Committee earlier this month.
Beck, of Tenafly, New Jersey, is pursuing a double major in biochemistry and chemical biology with hopes of a career in the medical field. A three-time member of the SEC’s Academic Honor Roll, Beck has also received academic honors from Vanderbilt after being named to the dean’s list on five different occasions and earning the honor of Student-Athlete of the Month.
In competition last season, Beck recorded personal-best performances in the 5M and 8k at the Joe Piane Invitational (Sept. 30) and the Arturo Barrios Invitational (Oct. 15), respectively. He also competed for the Commodores at this year’s SEC Cross Country Championships (Oct. 28).
One of the many extracurricular endeavors in which Beck participates is as a research assistant in the Plate lab. He has dedicated almost 600 hours over the past two years to working on projects in the lab. Beck’s research focus was on potential gene therapies for cystic fibrosis patients.
After graduation, Beck plans to attend medical school. In the future, he hopes to combine his passion for biomedical innovation and community service by having a career as a physician-investigator.