Several scholarship funds at the Community Foundation make renewal scholarships, meaning students can potentially receive additional support beyond their first year’s award. Abigail Stephens, studying environmental and conservation biology at Kent State University, was among the recipients of the Veronica Willo Scholarship, which made renewal awards totaling $4,500 in 2024.
We recently asked Abigail a few questions about her award and education, and below are her thoughts on the program she’s enrolled in, the impact of her scholarship awards and how she hopes to use her education to benefit her community!
What are your goals/plans for the future in general?
Overall, I am planning to continue learning and pursuing my passions, whether that be professionally in terms of my scientific career or personally with hobbies, travel, and spending time with loved ones.
Can you summarize your education plans and goals?
My short term educational goals are graduating with my BS and working on applications for graduate programs. While in undergraduate, I hope to continue gaining applicable skills from my classes as well as continue working in research. I then hope to attend graduate school for microbial ecology.
Why did you decide to pursue a bachelor’s of science degree in Environmental and Conservation Biology? Why at your particular university?
I have known from a very young age that I love nature and truly believe it is our responsibility to protect it. My particular skillset lies in research and approaching problems scientifically, so I chose my major in order to align my values and talents. I am pursuing my degree at Kent State University because I have found there is a lot of valuable ecological research happening that I have the opportunity to participate in during undergraduate.
Why do you believe education is important? How do you hope to use your education now and into the future to benefit your community?
Education and knowledge are necessary in all aspects of life. Understanding something is the only way to push through fear and work towards progress. Growing up, I saw ignorance breed hatred and continually make things worse in our community. So, I plan to use my education to uplift those in my community and empower myself to make change in the environmental field. I believe that environmental research is only becoming more important and I am thrilled to be in the next generation of scientists to tackle the pressing issues our world faces.
What has been the most challenging aspect of your education journey so far? How about the most rewarding aspect of your education journey so far?
As a first generation college student, I found it incredibly difficult to know where to direct my energy and how to approach higher education in general. I always felt I was on a different playing field than the rest of my peers. However, working through this, I have become more self-assured and learned how to advocate for myself. I believe the most rewarding part of college for myself is the connections I made. The people I have met have supported me through all of the lows and shown me that it is entirely possible to be highly educated, fulfilled, and passionate about what you do.
How has your scholarship award from the Community Foundation contributed to your college experience?
Scholarships, including the Community Foundation award, have been the only reason I have been able to continue my education. Without financial support, it wouldn’t have been feasible for me to pursue a 4 year degree and then I wouldn’t have met the people I did that empowered me to achieve my goals and pursue a fulfilling life.