What's been the best opportunity for you at CU?
One of the most exciting opportunities on campus is getting involved with astrophysics research. I am currently studying accretion around black holes. I knew that I wanted to be a scientist, but I had some concerns about funding my education. The BBC Scholarship allowed me to forgo loans and put worry aside so I can focus on building experience as an aspiring scientist. How has COVID-19 changed school for you? COVID-19 has been a challenge because it has removed the social component of a college education. By social component, I don’t just mean meeting with people after class; I mean the daily exchanges that I had with students and faculty that made STEM learning more engaging. I learned a lot by interacting with math students at CU Boulder’s Math Academic Resource Center, or discussing physics with my old lab group. I changed labs during the pandemic, so the amount of discussion I have with my new group is more limited.How has the scholarship helped you?
The scholarship has helped me by letting me think less about finances and more about my academic experience. I have always wanted to be a scientist and a science fiction writer. I knew that I needed to go to college to achieve these goals, but I was a bit deterred by the rising costs of education and the national rise of student debt. Before the scholarship, I held a part-time sales job to make ends meet, and it was robbing valuable time from my advocacy and academic projects. Now, I can focus more on my academics and advocacy projects, such as being a student leader in STEM @ CU Boulder and creating content that encourages LGBTQ+ students to pursue STEM careers.