Brianna Bui Awarded Aspire2STEAM Scholarship

Aspiring Engineer Uses Creative Talents to Form Meaningful Community Connections and Make a Difference in Paper Science Technology

ANKENY, IA, UNITED STATES, January 31, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Aspire2STEAM.org, which provides educational scholarships and mentoring to young women and girls who are working toward careers that require education in science, tech, engineering, the arts, or math (STEAM), has awarded Brianna Bui a LEGACY scholarship.

Brianna is currently in her final year at North Carolina State University (NCSU) majoring in both Paper Science and Engineering, as well as Chemical Engineering. “Brianna has used her college years wisely and her unique experiences, both in and out of the classroom, will serve her quite well,” said Cheryl O’Donoghue, CEO at Aspire2STEAM.

For as long as she can remember, Brianna has considered herself a creative person, consistently exploring ways to foster her love of art. Even as she began to immerse herself in higher education, she still took time out of her day to circle back to her artistic roots. Whether it was taking an art class each semester or working on a drawing or painting in her free time, Brianna enjoyed forming deeper connections with her loved ones and community members through artistic expression. “Being kind to others through small gestures such as painting personalized water bottles for friends and family and volunteering for a non-profit that assists under privileged children with their studies to help them build their confidence and personal passions, is very rewarding to me,” said Brianna.

When she was considering her post-high-school education, Brianna didn’t necessarily see herself at North Carolina State and certainly not enrolled in a Paper Science Engineering degree program. While keeping an open mind, Brianna had two pivotal experiences. The first came when she decided to include North Carolina State University on her list of college prospects because her mother received a Chemical Engineering degree there and had a positive experience. After Brianna applied and was accepted at NCSU, she toured the school and quickly fell in love with both the campus and community culture. Brianna knew she wanted to go into engineering because she saw it as an intriguing and growing field, while being a perfect outlet for her to grow and use her creative talents. The Paper Science department soon reached out to her and introduced the idea of a dual degree path (in Paper Science and Chemical Engineering). “I had no idea what Paper Science entailed, but decided to give it a shot,” said Brianna. “As it turns out, I thoroughly enjoyed the engaging and challenging coursework and the tight-knit and supportive community between the students and faculty.”

Throughout her time at NCSU, Brianna has sought to gain as many experiences as possible. So far, she has participated in four professional experiences outside of the classroom that varied from on-site work at a paper mill to large-scale projects at an engineering firm. With each experience she has strived to seek out as much information as possible, letting her curiosity run wild, so she could develop further her personal and professional skills. Brianna has also earned her Yellow Belt for Lean Six Sigma, which is a team-focused improvement approach that uses collaboration to refine performance by removing systemic operational waste and reducing process variation.

The culmination of her experiences has helped Brianna excel in the classroom, earning her Dean’s List recognition each semester of college. “The diversity in my school and work experiences has allowed me to hone in on what I would specifically like to do once I graduate, and it has taught me skills and knowledge that are unattainable in a classroom setting alone,” said Brianna.

Upon graduation, Brianna hopes to explore opportunities which enable her to put down roots in her community. She plans to also continue volunteering and working with younger members of the community to help them explore different career opportunities and hobbies, engaging them not only in the field of engineering but in all STEAM disciplines.

About Aspire2STEAM

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Established in 2018, Aspire2STEAM.org is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which has earned Guidestar’s Gold Seal for integrity, transparency, and accountability. Aspire2STEAM provides educational scholarships and mentoring to young women and girls who are working hard—aspiring—to achieve careers that require education in science, tech, engineering, the arts, or math. Aspire2STEAM is committed to helping women and girls with a hand up over the incredible barriers of student debt and rising education costs, and the real, ever-present opportunity barriers that keep them out of most male-dominated industries.

Scholarship Applications Accepted Year-Round! Share this online application today.

Cheryl ODonoghue
Aspire2STEAM
cheryl@Aspire2STEAM.org

Meet Brianna Bui