Stephanie Grow, Western Scholar

Stephanie Grow graduated from Huxley College with a self-designed Environmental Science degree in International Sustainable Development last spring. A recipient of the Bellingham Business Forum Wilson Engineering Scholarship, Stephanie’s Western experience was clearly a diverse, adventurous and ambitious one.

Here are a few highlights:

• Joined the sailing team her freshman year with no previous experience.
• Worked for both the Office of Admissions and the Alumni Association.
• Led a team of student volunteers as part of the World Injustice Awareness Club.
• Traveled to Africa to volunteer in a rural village on the coast of Tanzania. Served as kindergarten teacher to ninety energetic 5-year-olds, taught HIV/AIDS prevention to students at a secondary school and worked at an orphanage.

The Wilson Engineering Scholarship allowed Stephanie to travel to Washington D.C. her senior year as a Ford Global Scholar, where she collaborated with 24 other students from around the world to explore obstacles to achieving the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals. Additionally, through the contacts Stephanie established with Wilson Engineering, she was awarded a position with the company upon graduation where she is exploring their role in designing and implementing water and sanitation projects in developing countries.

Of her experiences, Stephanie says, “My story represents the epitome of a return on investment because Wilson Engineering saw the potential in me and invested in my education. Now I have the opportunity to utilize the contacts I made in D.C. and put the concepts I learned in my classes into action.”

Congratulations, Stephanie!