Student Athlete Uses Her Unique Educational Experience to Make Her Mark in Engineering

ANKENY, IOWA, UNITED STATES, December 26, 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 Taylor Floyd 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.

“Taylor is a long-time superstar in the classroom who is also a rare, elite-level athlete,” said Cheryl O’Donoghue, CEO at Aspire2STEAM. “We’re excited to see how she activates her passion for engineering and commitment to expanding opportunities for other females pursuing engineering careers.”

Taylor graduated from high school as her class Salutatorian (with a 4.62 GPA) and because she participated in a dual enrollment program while in high school, she entered college classified as a second semester sophomore. After her first year at North Carolina State University, she applied to the school’s prestigious dual engineering degree program and was accepted. She is on track to graduate with a major in both Chemical Engineering and Paper Science Engineering in 2025.

While academics have always been important to Taylor, a larger part of her identity and passion lie with competitive cheerleading. For over ten years, she has been an all-star competitive cheerleader, becoming a two-time U.S. All Star Federation World Champion and two-time National Cheerleading Association champion. It was an easy decision for Taylor to continue cheerleading in college and she made the NCSU Varsity team. Taylor explains how balancing cheerleading and academics has pushed her as a student and helped pave the way for achieving excellence. “My passion on the field and my drive to succeed in the classroom has shown me that hard work and determination are the keys to success,” said Taylor.

It didn’t take long for Taylor to notice the troubling disparity that is the current reality of most demographics in engineering classrooms today. Taylor explains that even in her first year of her engineering studies, there was a noticeable lack of female students surrounding her. Rather than being discouraged, her experience solidified her plans to excel in engineering and transition her love for science and math into a fulfilling career that is traditionally rooted in a male-dominated industry. Taylor hopes that by doing this she will challenge the stereotypes and biases and show other women that they can succeed too.

When she’s not in the classroom or practicing with her team, Taylor can be found taking part in events through her sorority Kappa Delta. The purpose of Kappa Delta is to “promote true friendship among the college girls of our country by inculcating into their hearts and lives those principles of truth, of honor, of duty, without which there can be no true friendship.”

Taylor also serves as a member of her university’s American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AlChE). AlChE is a professional student-led organization that is one of the most active chapters in the nation focusing on building leadership, professional development, networking skills, and community outreach (https://ncsuaiche.com/). Additionally, Taylor is a member of North Carolina State’s TAPPI Chapter (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry). This not-for-profit organization focuses on connecting industry professionals and creates volunteer and career experiences for its members.

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
+1 630-253-8861
Cheryl@Aspire2STEAM.org
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