Two young women from Connecticut win the Cognitive Consulting STEM NEWS scholarship designed to promote both the study of stem in college and the winners as they begin their pursuits.
“In high school, I found myself taking STEM classes that were dominated by boys,” one of Cognitive’s STEM NEWS Scholarship winners writes, going on to say, “I always felt pressure to change levels so I could have more female classmates.” But instead of doing so, she “learned to advocate for myself and pursue classes that challenged me.” These sentiments highlight the essence behind the scholarship, an award focused on nurturing and empowering women through STEM.
Providing STEM opportunities to women in the field is one of Cognitive’s founding principles, with this scholarship preserving that legacy. Every year, aspiring STEM professionals have the chance to win $1,000 to aid in their journey to study STEM in college. The two winners, both from Connecticut, intend to pursue biomedical and aerospace engineering respectively.
These young women demonstrate a proven passion, with one explaining that “Ever since my 8th grade science class, I knew I wanted to be an engineer.” She elaborates: “My mind is constantly thinking, and I love solving problems; engineering fits my mindset and will allow me to constantly put myself up for a good challenge.” She brings science into her every day by “reading weekly newsletters from NASA and starting my morning with the Astronomy picture of the Day.”
Her co-winner used her love of STEM to establish a club she called the Building Bridges Club. She describes: “We focused on inspiring a love of science in elementary students with the hope they pursue STEM” and “partnered with DOMUS, an after-school program for young people facing adversity.” Although her “out-of-the-box experiments” captured the students’ interest, she attributes “Building Bridges’ success mainly to mentoring by our members,” adding the “volunteers amplified my passion for STEM through their dedication to teach and connect with the students.”
Thank you to all applicants for your thoughtful words and compelling stories, and congratulations to our winners. We’re glad we get to celebrate you!