Leading with Enthusiasm for the School Year by Sarah

Leading with Enthusiasm for the School Year by Sarah - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

This year is going to be a major turning point for me as a student. I’m still an undergraduate but the classes I’m attending and the projects I am taking on will prove if I am cut out for the field of Science. Not only to others who are aware of my many barriers, but to myself.

I left the safety net of a stable career to pursue my passion for ecology and the study of invasive species. The advanced mathematics and detailed biological sciences will be a serious challenge for me this year. But my mind is no longer starving for stimulation and every day brings exciting new opportunities. I have never been happier.

Last year I was elected STEM club president and intend to use my enthusiasm for Science and my love of learning to bring our club excitement and creativity as I advocate for projects and events. I plan to advocate for guest speakers and field trips specific to the majors of my club members. This will allow members to not only expand knowledge in their own field, but explore other areas of STEM they may find curious without the burden of financial or transportation restrictions. Last year we studied physics in an indoor skydiving wind tunnel! This year I want to take us even further.

Outside the classroom I’ve applied for grant funded research projects. It's never too early to expand beyond the curriculum and take the science I'm learning out into the world. One such project is studying the use of duff layers and saprophytes to revive soil in a small controlled biome for use in human life support projects. Another is to study and record the ability for various species of Isopod to adapt to new environments after multiple generations.

After previously working in human services and emergency services I have found that my greatest asset isn't technical. It is my boundless enthusiasm. If I love what I am learning, doing or advocating for, there is very little I cannot find a way to achieve, even when the work gets hard. I will continue to utilize my enthusiasm and incredible community support to be the best possible researcher, club president, and student as I continue to work towards my goals in the field of ecology and evolutionary biology. Enthusiasm is the foundation for everything I hope to achieve.