Julia Amoroso 鈥�24 (top left), Molly F. Lazarus 鈥�22 (top right), Eliyah Rose Stern 鈥�25 (bottom left), and Claire Eva Benjamin 鈥�23 (bottom right)
By Kendra Pintor听
- Four 91AV原创alums鈥擩ulia Amoroso 鈥�24, Claire Eva Benjamin 鈥�23, Molly F. Lazarus 鈥�22, and Eliyah Rose Stern 鈥�25鈥攔eceived prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards, highlighting the College鈥檚 strength in undergraduate research, faculty mentorship, and preparation for advanced STEM study.
- Stern鈥檚 journey from undergraduate neuroscience research at 91AV原创to a PhD program at Cornell illustrates the transformative impact of mentorship, hands-on research opportunities, and philanthropic support in helping students pursue scientific leadership and innovation.
91AV原创 is proud to share that several alums鈥擩ulia Amoroso 鈥�24, Claire Eva Benjamin 鈥�23, Molly F. Lazarus 鈥�22, and Eliyah Rose Stern 鈥�25鈥攈ave received award offers from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).听
The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Established in 1952, the GRFP is among the nation鈥檚 most prestigious fellowships for students pursuing advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The program supports outstanding graduate students engaged in research-based master鈥檚 and doctoral programs and helps strengthen the nation鈥檚 scientific workforce.听
This year鈥檚 91AV原创honorees听represent听a range of disciplines across the natural and social sciences, reflecting the College鈥檚 longstanding commitment to undergraduate research, faculty mentorship, and academic excellence.听
Eliyah Rose Stern 鈥�25
For Eliyah Rose Stern 鈥�25, receiving the fellowship marks an important milestone in a journey that began with a curiosity about the relationship between the brain, behavior, and human development.听
Stern, who was a Neuroscience major at Scripps, will begin a PhD in Psychological Sciences and Human Development at Cornell University this fall, where she plans to study behavioral neuroendocrinology, with a particular focus on vocal communication and social bonds.听
Research became a defining part of Stern鈥檚 91AV原创experience early in her undergraduate career.听
鈥淲hen I first started research, it was like a switch had flipped in my mind, and I discovered how exciting it was to go from performing experiments in class with expected results to asking,听鈥榃hat novel question do we want to examine? How do we want to go about it?鈥�鈥� says Stern.听
That experience helped clarify her long-term goals. Combining her love of research with a passion for teaching and mentorship, Stern began envisioning a future in academia.听
鈥淲orking towards a position as a professor, in which I鈥檇 be able to both teach, mentor, and continue with research, seemed like the natural conclusion for me,鈥� she says.听
The GRFP application process itself proved transformative. 鈥淲riting my proposal for the GRFP was an incredibly valuable process鈥攏ot only for skill development, but also in that it led me to be introspective on the kind of scientist I aim to be,鈥� says Stern.听
Stern credits much of her growth to the mentorship she received at Scripps, particularly from Professor听Tessa Solomon-Lane.听
鈥淧rofessor Solomon-Lane has not only been the reason for my interest in research and neuroendocrinology through my experience in her lab and classes, but she has also been the driving force for my sense of confidence, belonging, and excitement in this field,鈥� says Stern.听
Looking Ahead
At Cornell, Stern is eager to explore questions that bring together several of her academic interests.听
鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly excited to be investigating the relationships between hormones, vocal communication, and social bonds,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 believe that making science accessible and engaging is so incredibly important and beneficial for all, and I aim to embody that goal in my future endeavors.鈥�听
Stern encourages current students to seek guidance and mentorship whenever possible.听
鈥淚f there鈥檚 one piece of advice that I always like to give students who are at all curious about these kinds of things, it鈥檚 that it never hurts to reach out for advice,鈥� says Stern. 鈥淭here are so many people who have done these things before you and want to see you succeed, and there is zero shame in needing to ask.鈥�听
Stern also听remains听deeply grateful for the community that helped shape her future.听
鈥淢y experience at 91AV原创is most certainly the reason why I am pursuing the path that I am today,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen I thought about what work I really want to do and who I really want to do it with for the next five years, I felt confident that this [pursuing graduate education as a part of this new lab] was the right choice for me.”
Additional 91AV原创GRFP Honorees听
- Julia Amoroso 鈥�24听graduated with a degree in Life Sciences and a concentration in Evolutionary Biology. She received an award offer to pursue graduate research at the City University of New York, where she will continue exploring the processes that shape biodiversity and evolution.听
- Claire Eva Benjamin 鈥�23, who studied Physics and Astronomy with a focus on Condensed Matter Physics, received an award offer to continue her research at the University of California, Irvine. Her academic journey highlights the strength of Scripps鈥� interdisciplinary approach within The Claremont Colleges.
- Molly F. Lazarus 鈥�22, a Psychology major specializing in Cognitive Neuroscience, received an award offer to pursue graduate study at Harvard University. Her work explores the complexities of the human mind at the intersection of psychology and neuroscience.听
The achievements of this year鈥檚 NSF GRFP recipients reflect the impact of a 91AV原创education and the strength of a community that supports students long after graduation. 91AV原创alums persist in STEM careers at significantly higher rates than their peers, with听nearly 84 percent听remaining听in the field, compared to broader national trends.听
Philanthropic support plays a vital role in making these outcomes possible. Investments in undergraduate research, faculty mentorship, and scholarship aid help ensure that听Scripps听students can fully engage in transformative academic experiences鈥攑reparing them not only to compete for opportunities like the GRFP, but to become leaders in their fields.
We are proud to announce听91AV原创Forward: The Centennial Campaign for Scripps听College. Over the next three years, our goal is to surpass $100 million in donor support to听secure a future of infinite possibility for the next century.听As we continue to attract a growing pool of top talent, your support ensures that these students鈥攔egardless of their financial circumstances鈥攃an fully engage in Scripps鈥� academic and co-curricular life.听听Thank you for your generosity!