Science Social Hosted by ARCS Illinois

The debt associated with higher education can be overwhelming. As I continue to talk with classmates and friends I realize how truly fortunate I am to have had your generous support which allowed me to take liberties in research and clinical exposure as I progressed through medical school. I think sometimes donations can seem small, or because they are intangible hard to associate with real gain --- I want to make very clear how much I benefited from your generosity. On a daily basis things were easier, meaning I could focus on learning and not worry constantly about how I was going to structure my financial plan. It also allowed me to consider a career path in primary care, and not feel anxious about paying back the large amount of debt I have still accrued. Importantly, it was beneficial to meet and learn from such an extraordinary group of women and supporters. Watching people come together throughout the year was such a touching experience; I believe it was integral to my development to see everyone fighting for something they so strongly believe in. I can’t thank you enough, please know that I'll be able to make more of a difference in the lives of others because you were thoughtful enough to make the difference in mine. I'm still on board, let's keep working to advance science in America!

Thank you for your interest in the future of science, and thank you so much for your generous support during my graduate school years. I have enjoyed meeting many of you at the ARCS events, and hope to stay connected to the ARCS family in the years to come. Thanks to your funding I was able to travel to the beautiful Zion National Park in Utah to conduct field work, and collect seeds for my research on ecological restoration in the Colorado Plateau. Thanks to your generosity I was able to focus my energies on my studies and my research, and I appreciate this immensely. My immediate plans include finishing my masters project! I hope to use my data to inform species selection for restoration in Zion National Park and the surrounding areas. Some native plant species which are not typically candidates for reseeding projects may have the potential to curb invasive species, and restore native diversity. In addition, I will continue my work as Coordinator of Climate Change Education at the Chicago Botanic Garden, where I work with teachers to develop, test, and implement curriculum that addresses climate change through data analysis and citizen-science. In the future, I hope to continue to marry my interests in education and restoration from within the field of seed conservation. Thank you again, ARCS members for all that you do!

I have been an Arnold Beckman scholar for the past three years while working towards my PhD at Northwestern University. I feel extremely privileged to have received support from ARCS and have always enjoyed meeting the members, whether it is talking about the creative event themes, lessons learned from different industries, or how science and technology have changed over the years.  ARCS has provided funds that enabled me to attend conferences and meet peers within my field. It has given me peace of mind to focus on research without distractions and the confidence to pursue important scientific questions that my lab would not typically investigate. Most importantly, however, ARCS has conveyed the importance of bridging lab work with the community-at-large and committed me to become involved in creating opportunities for future scientists as well.