Aspiring International Leader in STEM
Princess Scott
Princess Scott grew up in a family that always valued the importance of education. Her mother would often meet with teachers to ensure that they were offering a proper education for her daughter. Princess attended West Mifflin High School and graduated sixth in her class. Growing up, Princess first had dreams of being a veterinarian or an artist, but realized her strengths in math and science after participating in an engineering competition. She desired to leave the Pittsburgh area for college, and decided that Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA was the right fit after touring and meeting their engineering staff. However, coming from a single-parent household, she needed financial help to afford a private university. After a little research, Princess came across NEED and applied for a scholarship. She received a grant from NEED and was able to enroll at Lehigh in the fall 2016 semester. Princess is majoring in Civil Engineering and Architecture, keeping a relentlessly busy schedule. She’s a member of the Black Student Union, the National Society of Black Engineers, and a mentorship program in which she mentors high school students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields. Being an African American woman, Princess fits two of the most underrepresented demographics in engineering/science fields. She is active in WISE, which offers mentorship, communication, and connection between women in STEM fields. She cites the organization as supportive and helpful in overcoming obstacles in male-dominated fields. Princess traveled to South Carolina during spring break with on-campus volunteer program, SERVE, to assist Habitat for Humanity in building houses for underprivileged families. The project falls in line with her post-graduation plans to travel around the world as a humanitarian, using her engineering/architecture degree to help people living in third-world countries.