Riley Smith
2024 Recipient
High School: Central Bucks High School West
College: Cornell University
Major: Environment & Sustainability
Goals: I intend to spend my life working on marine biology research and conservation. In the fall, I will begin this journey by studying Environment and Sustainability at Cornell University. The major will provide me with an essential research foundation in the hard sciences while also uniquely extending my studies to the social and economic challenges of conservation. With a concentration in Marine Biology, I hope to take classes at the SHOALS Marine Lab and do research abroad at the National University of Singapore's Coral Ecology Lab. After graduating, I hope to take a gap year and gain more hands-on experience in coral research and restoration that I can use as a launching point for my master's and PhD. For the rest of my career, I will employ my research skills and practical experience to better understand the ecophysiological relationship between corals and their environment, using the discoveries I make to develop restoration and sustainable management strategies that support both coastal communities and the essential reef ecosystems.
Isaac Silvey
2023 Recipient
High School: Sanford-Fritch High School
College: West Texas A&M University
Major: Accounting
Goals: Life is full of goals, plans, aims, targets, desires, intentions, purposes, passions, ambitions, aspirations, hopes, and dreams. I have found that these targets that we set for ourselves shape us and determine the path that we get to walk every day. My goal is to attend West Texas A&M University and major in accounting. I plan to pursue an accelerated five year Master's degree in Professional Accounting and then take the CPA exam shortly after graduating college. However, this is not the final target. I have had the privilege of having a tremendous network of people who have supported me and given me examples of service that shape me to this day. Most of my childhood was spent overseas as my family served in medical missions. This experience, as well as the network of individuals who supported our family in our service, helped me realize that without people who support others, the ability for meaningful work plummets. I plan to use my CPA license to start a firm and eventually grow a business that will allow me to support the many worthy individuals and organizations that help make this world a better place.
Kelsey DeSmith
2022 Recipient
High School: Westbrook Walnut Grove High School
College: University of Minnesota - Rochester
Major: Health Science
Goals: I plan to further my education at the University of Minnesota Rochester to receive a degree in Health Science. I have chosen to seek a profession in the healthcare field because I find a career in public service to be highly rewarding and influential. The University of Minnesota Rochester has begun a new accelerated program for students seeking to solve the world's healthcare problems beyond patient care. Having been accepted into the NXT GEN MED program, I will be able to challenge myself in the classroom while attaining hands-on-training. The program partners with the Mayo Clinic to provide real world experiences. Upon completion of this program, I would like to return to the University of Minnesota Rochester to receive an advance degree in Medical Administration. Beyond academics, I have been involved in and held leadership positions in many extracurricular activities. My previous leadership experience will allow me to be successful in an administrative position. Throughout my involvement, I have received ample support from my community. I am seeking a public service profession because of that very support. My goal is to use my education to give back to the community that has made me the person I am today.
John (Jeb) Brysacz
2021 Recipient
High School: Alamo Heights High School
College: California Institute of Technology
Major: Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace
Goals: I plan to follow my passions for engineering and aerospace in college by focusing on a field that I believe is the next frontier in energy and resource extraction: mining from near-earth objects. With an impending energy shortage as well as current shortages of rare earth elements, it is time that we look to the stars, both figuratively and literally, as a means to cushion the environmental impact of supporting the lives of billions of people on Earth. Caltech allows me to study engineering and aerospace at a high level whilst engaging with ground-breaking research that goes on at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, which is also managed by Caltech professors and staff. I also plan on pursuing internships at the modern leaders in spacecraft development, such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and NASA, which will develop the skills necessary for the technological development necessary to make NEO mining a reality, as well as playing collegiate basketball, which will develop my leadership skills that are also very important as the leader of an engineering team.
Mary (Kiki) McLaughlin
2020 Recipient
High School: Galileo High School
College: University of Virginia (Echols Scholar)
Major: Biology
Goals: In college, I intend to delve deeply into the subjects that I am truly interested in -- genetics and epigenetics. I want to use my education to go into genetics research, whether it be into genetic engineering, disease research, or another related field. Recently, I have become particularly interested in disease research due to the coronavirus pandemic that has halted all of our lives. Realizing the impacts disease has on society, I have been drawn more toward disease research, whether that disease be COVID-19, cancer, or anything else, and the role genetics and epigenetics play in diseases. The excitement of a field that fascinates me along with my desire to do good in the world and help those in need motivates me to work as hard as I can every day to earn my education. In high school, I was captain of my cross-country team, my track team, and my ACE (trivia/quiz-bowl) team, but in college, I intend to become more politically involved and to join research projects concerning biology.
Sarah Schaefer
2019 Recipient
High School: North Stafford High School
College: University of Southern California
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Goals: My major goal in life is to help as many people as I can. That goal, combined with my love for STEM subjects and personal experiences in the medical field, have led me to pursue a career in medicine. I am beyond excited to major in biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California! Fight on! Later, I plan to attend medical school to become a physician. Beyond academics, I love to participate in all kinds of service organizations: HOBY, Girl Up, student government, and more! I plan to continue my involvement with service-based groups while in college, especially with groups helping those with special needs. For me, giving back to my community is one of the most fulfilling things I can do. I have done so for quite some time, and I certainly do not plan on stopping any time soon!”
Tyler Watt
2018 Recipient
College: University of Michigan
Major: Sociology
Regan Siems
2017 Recipient
College: Vanderbilt University
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Gena Lynn Cody
2016 Recipient
College: Valdosta State University
Major: Biology/Pre-Vet
Lauren Schmidt
2015 Recipient
College: Doane University
Major: Accounting & Business Administration
Karli Jade Sandin
2014 Recipient
College: University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Major: Nursing
Matthew Van Ormer
2013 Recipient
College: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Major: Business Administration
Levi Campbell
2012 Recipient
College: University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Major: Advertising and Public Relations
Paulina Valderrabáno
2011 Recipient
College: John Hopkins University
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Yashswee KC
2010 Recipient
College: Creighton University
Major: Biology
Kayla Smith
2008 Recipient
College: Colorado Schools of Mines
Major: Chemical Engineering