Aspiring Chemical Engineer Uses Passion for Critical Thinking to Help Make a Difference in the Community and Medical Field

ANKENY , IOWA , UNITED STATES, November 9, 2022 /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 Amanda Kaskon an ASPIRER scholarship made possible through a kind donation from CompTIA. CompTIA is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy.

Amanda Kaskon is a junior at North Carolina State University, aspiring to be a chemical engineer. She is a first-generation college student and wanted to have a career that would mean something and contribute to the world around her. She was attracted to chemical engineering because she believed it would create a strong career foundation but later realized this field is perfectly aligned to the way she operates each day. “I love to think…really think!” said Amanda.

“We are delighted to be able to provide this scholarship to Amanda and know that her problem-solving mindset will be a great asset to her now and long into the future,” said Cheryl O’Donoghue, CEO at Aspire2STEAM.org. “Amanda has an inner sensibility that if you only had an hour to puzzle something out, the secret is to spend 55 minutes thinking it through as thoroughly as possible to increase the odds that your solution will hit the mark. What a wonderful attribute.”

Most recently, Amanda held a chemical engineering co-op position at a major distributer and provider of crop inputs called Nutrien. This life-changing opportunity not only helped her develop key skills she will use as an engineer, but also aided her growth as an adult. “I was living on my own for the first time and was initially a bit overwhelmed by being solely responsible for paying my own living expenses,” said Amanda. While the transition to adulthood can be hard for many, Amanda discovered that her fear quickly turned into excitement for this new chapter in her life and she began to flourish.

One of her favorite ways she contributes outside of the classroom is through her volunteer work for “Be My Eyes,” an app that helps blind and visually impaired people to recognize objects and cope with everyday situations. An online community of sighted volunteers receive photos or videos from randomly assigned affected individuals and assist via live chat. Said Amanda, “With this support, the hope is to aid those with vision impairments as they make both small and large decisions with the overarching goal to enable them to lead more independent lives.” Amanda is enthusiastic in her support of the app and actively encourages others to join.

In the future, Amanda is open minded about where she will be and what she will be doing. She lost her father at a young age and was raised by her mother. She knows the impact a college education can have in her life and plans to use it to benefit others and find a slice of happiness for herself. Amanda often jokes that she would love to win the lottery so that she can ease some of the pressures of being a woman in STEM and begin work as a philanthropist. Whether it’s helping those in the medical field or diving in and getting her hands dirty in a local community endeavor, Amanda is excited to help others in need. Said O’Donoghue, “We know that even if she doesn’t win the lottery (fingers still crossed), Amanda will accomplish great things and find meaningful ways to give back to others by using her compassion for humanity, along with her creative mind.”

About Aspire2STEAM

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.

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Cheryl O'Donoghue
Aspire2STEAM
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Amanda Kaskon, Aspire2STEAM Scholar

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