By Asia Muhammad, Pullman Scholar.

ScholarCon is a place where you can dare, dream, and discover. If you are unfamiliar with ScholarCon, then it is my duty to get you acquainted. ScholarCon is a conference held by the National Society of Colligate Scholars (NSCS). There are over 300 NSCS chapters at various schools in the United States. This honor society is special because they award $1,000,000 annually in scholarships, allow scholars to network with established professionals, and hold a leadership summit every year.

ScholarCon is a mixture of awesome things. This conference gives you a chance to network with your peers who are studying a variety of subjects such as plant biology, pre-law, and much more. The conference also gives scholars a chance to attend several workshops where they learn how to apply for study abroad scholarships, develop a solutionist mindset, and how to develop a budget. Motivational speakers hold workshops, too, because the balancing school, work, and personal troubles can be very discouraging. For example, one motivational speaker stressed that it is okay to be discouraged, but do not stay discouraged—resilience is key. (more…)

Get to know our Pullman Scholar Maribell Heredia, ’17, a neuroscience major at University of Illinois at Chicago.

Why Neuroscience? Maribell is drawn to neuroscience because she finds the processes of the brain fascinating, and this major will allow her to understand how people think and why they act in certain ways. During this past spring semester, Maribell took a psychology course and her professor was in the cognitive neuroscience field—his teaching inspired her to pursue this major.

In her spare time, Maribell likes to:  Explore museums, take walks along the lake shore, and meet up with friends.

This past May, Maribell finished her first year at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She is on track to complete a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience with a minor in chemistry. Her main aspiration is to attend a prestigious medical school and become a doctor. (more…)