Location: West Grove, PA
College: Johns Hopkins University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
“This scholarship will allow me to continue doing what I love: empowering diversity in STEM and making tangible impact through my career as an engineer. The STEM Academy has impacted my life in so many ways through financial support, having a community of women in STEM to fall back on, and also giving me the confidence to pursue my passions.”
Location: Pottstown, PA
College: Lehigh University
Major: Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering Technologies
“I am extremely grateful to have been chosen as an Exelon Foundation STEM Academy Scholarship recipient. My experience with The Exelon Foundation STEM Academy was incredible. I was able to discover my passion in Electrical Engineering as well as my passion for sustainable energy, while meeting such impactful women. Receiving the scholarship will allow me to continue a wonderful education at Lehigh University, while also setting myself up for an engineering career with no worries or stress about how I’m going to get there financially!”
Location: Riverdale Park, MD
College: University of Maryland, College Park
Major: Computer Science and Programming
“The STEM Academy has stood by my side for 2 years. Starting with its dedicated team of industry professionals determined to support me in my professional development. Then allowing me to represent and share their ideals and values with other students in my community through the ambassador program. To now being selected as a recipient of the Exelon Foundation STEM Academy Scholarship. Thank you so much for believing in me. I truly feel blessed and thrilled to be a part of this sisterhood, especially since navigating through college is a scary journey alone. I feel unstoppable in my journey to earning a degree in computer science. Receiving this scholarship will make a significant difference in my life, so I plan to pay it forward later in life.”
Location: Franklin Park, IL
College: Harper College – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Major: Civil Engineering
“This scholarship will help me become a professional engineer and leave my footprint around the world!”
Location: Baltimore, MD
College: Purdue University
Major: Civil Engineering
“I am incredibly grateful to have been awarded this full-ride scholarship to pursue a career in engineering. This scholarship significantly alleviates my financial concerns, especially with the delay in FAFSA this year, which had left me uncertain about my financial situation as I committed to university. Now, I can fully concentrate on my academics without the stress of tuition costs. I feel tremendously relieved and supported by this opportunity!”
“The Exelon Foundation Scholarship is truly a golden opportunity that will eliminate the financial burden of attending college. This will allow me to focus on my education and continue volunteering via STEM outreach without worrying about going into debt. Exelon has provided me with so much, and I am excited to give back by helping other young women with their educational and career paths. I am already looking forward to starting that process as an alumni mentor this summer at the 2024 STEM Academy in Philadelphia!”
Location: Bowie, MD
College: University of Maryland – College Park
Major: Management Information Systems
“Thanks to the STEM Academy, I’ve found a supportive sisterhood of like-minded women who have been invaluable in my educational journey. This scholarship will enable me to focus and continue my studies, all while making a meaningful impact on my community debt-free! Thank you again Exelon for truly changing my life!”
Alyssa Beckett is honored to be a 2023 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient. She will be pursuing a career in Civil Engineering as a Freshman at Virginia Tech while also being a member of the Hokie’s Cheerleading Team. She graduated from Liberty High School in Sykesville, MD and was dual enrolled at Carroll Community College. She completed the “Project Lead the Way,” Mechanical Engineering program and interned with Northrop Grumman. She participated and volunteered in the Women in Transportation: Transportation YOU located in Philadelphia, PA. and worked as an Ambassador/Team Lead at Noodles & Co. While helping her School Advisor she helped win a grant which awarded her high school $400 to buy educational materials in hopes of preventing students from vaping or smoking.
Her aptitude for science, math, and competitive cheerleading has been the guiding light on her academic and personal journey. Little did she know that these passions would lead her to a transformative experience, one that she will never forget. It all started with a knock on her door on July 24th, 2021 when two women hand-delivered a box filled with STEM materials, an iPad, and balloons that bore the words “Exelon STEM Leadership Academy.” This was just the beginning of a journey that would change her life forever and expose her to what would become a new family of like-minded individuals. She never knew that a small activity such as creating a solar-powered oven would introduce her to awhole world full of possibilities. This eye-opening experience allowed her to realize that she has the ability to make a difference in the world. While making a small snack in the solar-powered oven was fun, she is eager to face these challenges on a much larger scale throughout her career.
Her experience with Exelon has transformed her from a shy young girl to an ambitious, confident woman in and out of the classroom. The unique opportunities that this program offered, including networking with professionals at a luncheon, touring a nuclear power plant, and attending a Washington Nationals game, opened her eyes to the possibilities of the energy sector and made her passionate about pursuing a career that can help mitigate climate change. These unparalleled educational experiences have brought a supportive community into her life that continues to propel her towards success. This Academy has been a catalyst for her personal and professional growth, and she is grateful for the opportunities and support that Exelon has provided her to pursue her dreams.
Abigail Cooley is a 2023 recipient of the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship and is currently studying engineering at Lafayette College. She began her involvement in her community at a very young age with her father. Matt Cooley was a politically-active member of the Ambler Borough and offered Abby the opportunity to test her own skills volunteering at the polls on election days and working with others on trash clean up days.
As she got older, Abby was able to define her own style of community service. At 12 years old, she started by creating a petition for a swing set to be erected in the local park. She knocked on doors, collecting over two hundred and fifty signatures, and then presented her case to the Borough Council. Six months later, a swing set was in the park.
Towards the end of middle school and beginning of high school, Abby began to discover her love of math and science. She fostered this love by seeking out STEM challenges such as the Invention Convention, PA Media and Design Competition, and the MIT Sustainability Challenge. The PA Media and Design Competition was a state-wide 3D design (CAD) competition in which she received 2nd place. Most notably, the nation-wide MIT Sustainability Challenge was a group competition in which participants were tasked with researching, designing, and compiling solutions to specific ethical and environmental world problems. In 2020, her group worked to create the blueprint for a more eco-friendly transportation network in Boston. In 2021, her group focused on the health crisis known as the “Alabama Sewage Crisis.” They achieved the 2nd place award both years.
Abby concluded high school by combining her two loves of STEM and community service. She started a program to introduce an individualized STEM learning program for elementary school-age girls of color. She is incredibly grateful for the chance to have met so many creative, funny, and kind young girls. The Exelon Corporation’s efforts to invite women into the field of STEM represent the same values that Abby has focused on throughout the past few years. She is thankful for this scholarship and proud to be working with an ethical company!
Trevor Gardner is a 2023 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient. She participated in the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy in 2021. Trevor was also an Exelon STEM Ambassador during her junior and senior years of high school. She participated in a dual enrollment program at Community College of Philadelphia and graduated from George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science.
Trevor’s interest in STEM and energy piqued in middle school after she attended free workshops with the nonprofit organization Techgirlz. In high school she became a Techgirlz Teen Advisory Board member and a STEM Instructor. She taught middle school girls about energy, computer science, technology, engineering, and cyber security. Trevor was part of her high school’s robotics club. She was also involved with Girls in Aviation, Girls Who Code, and Girls Code the World. Trevor’s greatest technical accomplishments are programming a motioned sensor robot, 3D printing designs, and using raspberry pi for docker containers, plex media server, Linux server, and wireless router.
Trevor is fascinated with the advancement and automation of on and offshore wind turbines. She enjoys learning about Python, Java, and AI technology. In college, Trevor plans to continue being an Exelon STEM Ambassador and teaching middle school girls about STEM. She is looking forward to a summer internship at PECO, so she can gain knowledge and learn to develop meticulous skills to improve automation, technology, wind turbines and data collection/analysis. In the fall, Trevor will attend North Carolina Central University and major in Computer Science with a concentration in software development.
Jillian Kouzmanoff, a recipient of the esteemed Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship in 2023, is ready to embark on her academic journey as an incoming freshman at the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. With a major in Mechanical Engineering, Jillian aspires to make a meaningful impact in the energy sector, working towards bridging the gender gap and advancing clean energy initiatives.
Jillian’s passion for engineering was sparked in her childhood, where she heard inspiring stories about her grandmother, a Mechanical Engineer who faced discrimination due to her gender but never wavered in her pursuit of respect. Despite her high school’s limited resources for women in engineering, Jillian found solace and support within the Exelon STEM Academy in 2021. It was through this program that her interest in the engineering aspects of energy ignited. Engaging in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 Mentorship Programs, she gained invaluable knowledge and became a STEM Ambassador, traveling throughout her community and immersing the youth in energy-related activities, fostering their curiosity and passion for STEM.
Jillian’s determination to make a positive impact extends beyond engineering. Throughout high school, she dedicated much of her free time to community service projects, ranging from packaging food for underprivileged families to organizing goody bags for kindness days, spreading love and kindness among the youth. Her involvement in various volunteering groups, such as the National Honor Society, Highland Community College Servant Leadership, Key Club, and National Art Honor Society showcases her strong belief in the power of education and giving back.
Driven by her commitment to knowledge, Jillian fully immersed herself in her education during high school. Taking dual enrollment classes with Highland Community College, she achieved a GPA of over 4.0. Her academic achievements have been recognized with honors, including the State Accommodation Toward Biliteracy, the President’s Education Awards Program for Outstanding Academic Excellence, and the Physics Award.
At the University of Illinois, Jillian’s abilities have earned her a place in the exclusive Chancellor’s Honors Program, reserved for only 125 first-year students. Eager to connect with like-minded individuals and continue her pursuit of empowering women in engineering, she has joined the Women in Engineering organization on campus. Additionally, she looks forward to participating in renowned groups such as the Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers, where she can actively contribute to the advancement of her field.
Jillian’s journey is a testament to her gratitude for the opportunities she has received. She cherishes the unwavering support and sense of community she has found within the Exelon STEM Academy. The scholarship she has been granted serves as a constant reminder of the transformative power of hard work and determination in shaping young minds. Jillian is profoundly thankful for all that the scholarship will enable her to achieve and is motivated to inspire future generations to break free from stereotypes and pursue their dreams.
Carolyn is a recipient of the 2023 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship. She graduated from the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Richard Montgomery High School and is currently a sophomore chemical engineering major at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is in the Quality Enhancement Systems and Teams (QUEST) Honors program and the inaugural cohort of the Interdisciplinary Business Honors (IBH) program at UMD.
During high school, Carolyn received the opportunity to participate in the 2021 Exelon STEM Academy, where completing the energy challenge sparked her interest in the intersection of energy, engineering, and sustainability. To continue with the STEM Academy, Carolyn participated in both the 2022 and 2023 Mentorship Program. She also served as a student Mentor at the 2022 MD/DC STEM Academy, empowering girls with the confidence to pursue STEM. Additionally, as a youth staff at the 2022 NEED Youth Energy Conference, she oversaw middle school energy challenge groups to design their energy theme park project through the engineering design process. In school, Carolyn pursued her passions in energy and environmental sustainability through Science Olympiad, Envirothon, and Chemistry Club. She was President of Kids Are Scientists Too (KAST), a club dedicated to teaching science through fun hands-on activities to elementary schoolers.
Participating in the STEM Academy and NEED’s energy educational outreach inspired Carolyn to do the same for her community. In high school, as outreach captain of her FTC robotics team, she collaborated with peers to design, build, and program a robot to compete in annual challenges while expanding STEM outreach in the community. She founded Aspire, a STEM program empowering middle schoolers to explore STEM pathways and careers through interactive hands-on science experiments. She also invited professional engineers to speak about their engineering experience, connecting students with STEM professionals. Leading her robotics team to become a Motivate Award Finalist at the 2022 FIRST World Championship gave Carolyn the opportunity to create new educational outreach initiatives and dedicate 1000+ hours to teaching STEM topics to 500+ students throughout her high school career. Carolyn strongly believes that empowering students through STEM is more than just learning concepts, it is about spreading knowledge to create a lasting impact in underprivileged communities around us by having youth inspire youth.
Since starting college, Carolyn has become involved in various activities such as the ChemE Car Team and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. She serves on the student board for IBH where she works to implement feedback in program development and organize events. Carolyn is also a Clark School of Engineering Ambassador where she leads outreach events for younger students to inspire them to pursue engineering fields. In her free time, Carolyn loves practicing wushu at UMD’s TerpWushu Club and performing diabolo!
Through the journey of balancing academics and extracurriculars, Carolyn is excited to embrace new opportunities while leading and supporting the community around her. She is driven by her ability to help others and make the world a better place. Carolyn is excited to continue her journey with Exelon and to expand the STEM Academy’s mission of inspiring students to discover themselves as leaders in STEM.
Naomi Wilson is a 2023 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient, and she participated in the Exelon STEM Leadership and Innovation Academy during the summer of 2019 at the University of Maryland College Park. She graduated from Bowie High School in 2021, in the top 5% of her class with a principal’s honor roll. Influenced by her time at the STEM leadership academy during her sophomore year of high school, Naomi applied to the University of Maryland College Park and is now Terp strong. She is majoring in Information Science with a minor in Russian studies. While at the University of Maryland College Park Naomi has given back to her community in many aspects, her favorite one was when she taught math lessons at her local elementary school. Participating in this gave Naomi the knowledge and experience to teach the young bright minds of the future and encourage them to pursue the STEM sector. Naomi provided weekly mentorship to two high school seniors during her sophomore year of college by assisting them on their path to college and guiding them toward STEM pathways for their time in college.
At this time, Naomi holds leadership positions in her collegiate organizations as the Vice President of membership for the Black Business Association, Co-Chair of the Programming Committee of her majorette dance team. In these positions, she has the opportunity to manage the correspondence of and databases within the organizations, exclusively, with the agenda of advancing the presence of African American students on campus to make them feel seen, and heard, and provide them with more opportunities on UMD’s campus. Within the Student Success Leadership Council at UMD, Naomi went from committed member to serving as the chair of the Gift of Giving Gala, a $70,000 gala held annually to raise scholarships and awareness of the good African American students achieve on campus. She gets to expand her logistics and work on her project management to one day become a manager. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and holds several positions that enhance her skills and are used to host many community service events. Overall, Naomi gets to do what she loves: making deep connections with her community and advancing its standing.
Naomi hopes to use her education in Information Science to work for a company that values its workers’ and customers’ safety and integrity. After college, pursue a law degree in cybersecurity, and become one of the bright minds who helps shape policy surrounding technology as it advances. She plans to work in cybersecurity and find ways to make privacy accessible for everyone. Naomi will give back to her community through her time when she mentors young African American students. Forever impacted by the STEM Leadership Academy, she is grateful for the wonderful mentors she has received throughout her process as an Academy Alumni, and Ericka Wylie-Chambers and Sweekratha Shetty who challenged her to break down her future and assisted her with achieving her goals.