Degree: B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering
How did the Stamps Scholarship help shape your undergraduate experience?
Having the Stamps Scholarship allowed me to focus on my passions and studies in school, rather than constantly being stressed about how I was going to afford my education. For me in particular, financial aid was necessary in order to attend college, and this scholarship took a large weight off my shoulders. The Stamps Scholarship is much more than that, though – through events will the Stamps National Convention this year, I was able to share my work with food access and urban farming and meet scholars who shared my interest. I was able to travel to places like the Balkans and San Francisco to learn about history, culture, and sustainability. I went backpacking in Croatia and spoke at a sustainability conference at Berkeley – all because of this scholarship. It helped me find new passions and connect with amazing people.
Tell us a piece of wisdom you’ve learned over the past four years.
You won’t follow the set path you created yourself coming out of high school. Understand that it’s okay and normal to find new passions, change your major, or do things completely unrelated to what you came to college to do in the first place. College is a place of discovery, and never try to fight that!
Who has had the greatest impact on you throughout your college career and how so?
I have had so many role models over the years. Anna Osterholm, a postdoc I worked with in a chemistry research lab at GT, was a huge inspiration to me as a role model of a woman in science who is confident in her abilities and doesn’t constantly question herself like many women in the field (myself guilty) do. She always supported me with new research interests, even if it meant leaving the lab, and I am grateful to have known her. Dr. Kathryn Meehan was a huge resource in the Office of Fellowships, as she helped me with three fellowship applications over the course of the past three years. It was with her help and encouragement that I was able to achieve a dream I never thought possible – being awarded as a Fulbright Scholar. However, Dr. Meehan also taught me to accept failure but never accept it as failure, and I am grateful for her always kind words and positivity.
What’s your favorite Stamps Scholar memory?
I enjoyed the 2017 Stamps Scholars National Convention, where I was able to present on a topic I am truly passionate about – urban farming and food access issues in Atlanta – and speak with my peers about it.
What comes next?
I am graduating in May 2017 and have been awarded a Fulbright Study Scholarship. I leave in September to attend Newcastle University, where I will pursue an MSc in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security.
Please share your favorite inspirational quote.
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy