Scholarship Recipients
2023 Scholarship Recipients
Alyssa Beckett
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
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
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
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 Lee
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
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.
2022 Scholarship Recipients
Aditi Bhatt
Aditi Bhatt is a 2022 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient. She participated in the Exelon STEM Leadership and Innovation Academy the summer before her junior year of high school and was intrigued with the connection between energy, engineering, and sustainability. Participation in the Exelon STEM Academy encouraged her to seek more opportunities that would allow her to explore STEM in depth. For instance, she contributed ideas to Chicago Mayor Lightfoot’s “invest south/west” initiative, which aims to improve the city’s south and west side communities. She contributed by creating models for a proposed community center in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood to revitalize a vacant lot, a project inspired by her Exelon Academy business pitch. Her appreciation for the extent to which engineering can impact and improve communities grew as she learned more. Later, she went on to work as a Information Technology (IT) assistant at a local organization, a data analyst for MAPCorps, and held leadership roles in her school’s GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science) club, SWENext (Society of Women Engineers highschool chapter) club, and GWC (Girls Who Code) club. Her success was recognized by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) when she earned an Northern Illinois Affiliate Honorable Mention in 2021, a NCWIT 2020 Northern Illinois Affiliate Rising Star, and a College Board AP Scholar with Distinction award. In June 2022, she graduated with honors from Northside College Preparatory High School in Chicago, Illinois and is currently a 1st-year computer engineering student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).
In college, she is a member of UIUC’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) chapter, Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering (WECE) club, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Additionally, during winter break, she visited Trinidad and Tobago for a study-abroad program designed for first-year students in UIUC’s Grainger College of Engineering. During the program, she worked with Amizade, an organization with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council to research ecotourism and sustainable practices in Trinidad and Tobago. She collaborated with two local NGOs in the region, the Fondes Amandes Community Restoration Project (FACRP) and the Nature Seekers organization. The former works to prevent forest fires and deforestation while the latter works to eliminate leatherback turtle poaching. As an extension of the program, she will be working as a consulting engineer with iSEE (Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) to enact sustainability efforts on her college campus. Aditi is grateful for the opportunity to be a Exelon STEM scholar and is eager to learn more as she delves deeper into engineering.
Aliyana Banner
Aliyana is a 2022 recipient of the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship and is currently studying mechanical engineering at Drexel University. While she was in middle school, she was interested in her school's robotics team and eventually joined the FLL robotics team in 8th grade. They were able to advance to the national level and compete at the 2018 world competition in Detroit, Michigan. After she graduated from middle school, Aliyana attended Central High School, where she continued her interest in robotics and joined her school's robotics team. Aliyana enjoyed being a part of the FTC team during her freshman year and eventually joined the FRC division of the robotics club and was a part of the electrical subgroup during her sophomore year. During that time, Aliyana joined other programs outside of high school, such as Access Engineering and the ACE Mentorship Program, where she was able to learn more about STEM and what it had to offer. Around this time, Aliyana had also heard about the Exelon STEM Academy and decided to apply in 2020. After she found out that she was accepted into the program, COVID-19 shut down the world.
Even though the whole world had to shut down and classes were moved onto Zoom, she preserved and continued to keep her morals high. During the lockdown, she spent more time with my family and picked up a new hobby of making hats and scarves, as well as picking up on old hobbies like building Lego sets. The academy was also moved onto Zoom, where Aliyana was able to meet a lot of amazing and inspiring people that fueled her interest in pursuing engineering as a career. She continued to be a part of the academy in other aspects by becoming an ambassador, a mentor for the 2021 and 2022 academies, and participating in the mentorship program.
During Aliyana's junior year of high school, she took a science research class in where she researched the effects of online learning on teenagers' social and educational lives. Aliyana then entered two science fair competitions and won 2nd place in the George Washington Carver Science Fair behavior/social science category and also received the special AACR Cancer Research Award. During her senior year of high school, she took an engineering class where she was able to apply different aspects of the engineering design cycle to multiple different projects. Being in this class helped reinforce how much she wanted to be an engineer in the future.
Aliyana looks forward to her Exelon internship that will take place over the summer and the future Co-ops she will embark on in the future.
Allegra Oledibe
Allegra Oledibe is a 2022 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient. Allegra Graduated from Eleanor Roosevelt High School with honors and is currently attending Virginia Tech University. Allegra is studying mechanical engineering with a minor in computer science and hopes to apply her skills in the energy sector. Throughout her high school career, Allegra was a very involved student. Not only did she maintain a 4.0 GPA while also being dual enrolled at Bowie State University but she was also a member of many clubs, such as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Girls Who Code, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SAAD) and Recycling Club.
Alongside her academic journey Allegra continues to be involved. Allegra was recently named the STEM Outreach Ambassador for Virginia Tech’s College of Science due to her continuous pursuits in promoting STEM education throughout the Blacksburg community. Allegra’s community outreach does not just stop there. Allegra recently founded a non-profit organization called Hope for the Advancement and Development of West African Countries (HADWA) in hopes to mitigate the lack of STEM education in West African countries through donations that will go towards the development and training of schools and staff.
Allegra is also a member of the e-Nable chapter at Virginia Tech. e-Nable is a charitable design-based club that infuses computer aided design, Arduino and myolectronics in order to create a variety of assistive gear for several disabled patients in the Blacksurg area. Allegra got the chance to work with Charli, a 10 year old quadruple amputee, to design a prosthetic arm that will help to increase charli’s vertical mobility.
Emily Curran
A 2022 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholar, Emily Curran is First Year Student at Villanova University majoring in Computer Engineering and a minor in Business. Prior to her time at Villanova, Emily attended Central Bucks High School East in Doylestown, PA where she received the opportunity to participate in the STEM Leadership Academy in 2020.
During her high school career, Emily graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 unweighted GPA, while remaining a member and leader of various clubs. She was captain of her varsity basketball and volleyball teams, Treasurer of her class, and President of the Athletes Helping Athletes organization. Upon graduation she was also awarded the Ancient Order of Hibernians Teresa and Peter Murphy scholarship and Central Bucks High School East Patriots Scholarship.
Within the Exelon Foundation STEM Academy, Emily has participated in the 2021, 2022, and 2023 mentoring programs and is a two year ambassador for the program. She served as a student mentor at both the Philadelphia and Chicago Academies this past summer, dedicating her time to spreading the mission of the program. She feels passionately about empowering other girls in the STEM industry and encouraging equity in the field.
Since starting on campus this fall, Emily has become involved in a multitude of activities on Villanova’s campus. She serves as the Freshman Representative and Social Media Chair for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers working to organize and promote professional opportunities. Emily is a Blue Key tour guide and President of her Residence Hall’s Interhall Council, adopting the Augustinian spirit of community and friendship into her everyday life.
In addition to her academic success, Emily works hard to help her community and undertake leadership and volunteering activities. She has continued her work with the Athletes Helping Athletes organization as well as joining Villanova Special Olympics as a Local Program Host in the largest student-run Special Olympic event in the world. She also worked as Vice President of her high schools Heifer International club raising money to help end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth.
Balancing her academics and extracurriculars throughout both high school and college, Emily is ready to embrace new opportunities while leading and supporting those around her. She is driven by her desire to make the work a better place by utilizing her skills in the community. Emily is excited to begin her journey with Exelon through her internship this summer and continue the mission of the Exelon Foundation STEM Leadership Academy.
Maitri Patel
Maitri Patel is a 2022 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy recipient. She is a freshman studying Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor. Maitri is incredibly passionate about advocacy, art, and the environment. As an aspiring Industrial and Operations Engineer, she wants to improve energy efficiency at Exelon and make energy accessible to the global community. This major will allow her to simultaneously look through the lens of an engineer and think economically to mitigate the effects of climate change. Using her engineering knowledge, she hopes to build a career at Exelon to maximize clean energy use across Exelon’s service footprint.
Throughout her high school career, she volunteered with various organizations and took an active role in creating change within her community. At the beginning of the pandemic, she worked with Project Shields to help build 3D printers to print face shield frames. She also spent many hours volunteering at vaccine clinics throughout the end of her junior year and the beginning of her senior year. With the Passion Project, Maitri also shared her love for language and culture with kids across the country in a virtual setting by holding workshops focusing on a different country each week. In addition to her volunteer work, she engaged in a wide range of activities. Since ninth grade, she served as a board member and intern for SHE Community and is still involved. She was also a member of her school's Vex Robotics team, served as Vice President of the Science Club, and Editor for her school newspaper. She was also a peer mentor to middle schoolers and other high schoolers within her school district. More recently, Maitri is in the Women in Science and Engineering Residential Program at her college and is on the board of Caraway Health. She is also currently a member of the Society of Women Engineers where she is involved in outreach projects and representing her school at conferences.
Her interest in sustainability grew stronger due to the energy challenge the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy presented to her in 2021. After attending the academy, she wanted to be as involved with the Academy as possible so she joined several chats, workshops, and the mentorship program available to alumnae. Maitri also served as a student staff at the Philadelphia Academy in 2022 and is currently in the Scholars Mentorship Program. She looks forward to interning at Peco after the completion of her freshman year of college
Micaela Venyo
Micaela Venyo is a 2022 recipient of the Exelon Stem Leadership Academy Scholarship. She graduated from Harford Technical High School with honors and earned a certification in AutoCAD from the magnet schools CADD program. Currently a freshman at Virginia Tech, Micaela is majoring in mechanical engineering and hopes to work in the energy industry addressing climate change and sustainability.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Micaela is an active member of Virginia Tech's African Student Association, National Society of Black Engineers, and Chi Alpha Christian fellowship. She is also enthusiastic about STEM education and regularly participates in STEM outreach initiatives in elementary and middle schools across Virginia. The most recent outreach event being the first annual College and STEM career fair held at George Washington Middle School. During this event, Micaela took a lead as a volunteer and taught 6th-8th grade students about civil engineering through a paper tower structure STEM activity.
Micaela is currently enrolled in New Buildings Institute’s Next Gen Program sponsored by Legrand. This 8-month program aims to educate undergraduate students on building decarbonization. Through this program, Micaela interacts with decarbonization experts in monthly discussion groups and receives mentoring from a mechanical engineer working at Legrand. Micaela is excited to soon share her insights about the Next Gen program by writing a blog for the programs ‘Getting to Zero Forum’ website
Nicole Constante
Nicole Constante is a 2022 recipient of the Exelon Stem Leadership Academy Scholarship. Nicole is originally from Ecuador but moved to Chicago during middle school. She attended Acero Garcia High School and graduated in 2020, then she went to Richard J Daley College and is currently a transfer student at the University of Illinois Chicago pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering Management. Nicole had the opportunity to be part of Exelon STEM Leadership Academy in 2019 which had a huge influence on her decision of pursuing a career on STEM due to the professional and academic exposure the academy gave to the participants. Throughout her education she has participated in different programs that had helped her gain unique skills and allowed her to grow personally and academically. In the summer of 2021, she was a mentor for a summer camp with Northwestern University, her role was to interact with school kids and teach them through virtual sessions topics that were centered around STEM such as teaching them the basics of coding, 3D clay modeling, and how to build circuits. Nicole enjoyed that experience because the kids were learning from her and at the same time, she was learning from them. She found this to be very rewarding. Then she began working at her community college as an ambassador, where she was able to grow her communication skills, collaborated with her coworkers to accomplish different projects and helped upcoming students with their process of starting college.
Currently at her University Nicole is a part of the Construction Management and Management Leadership Associations because she wants to network with students that have the same interests as her and gain new knowledge related to her field to be able to apply it on future job opportunities. In addition, Nicole's goal is to stay persistent with the things that she wants to accomplish in the future and learn as much as possible. She finds that The Exelon STEM Scholarship is giving her the opportunity to do her best on her studies and is very thankful for that. Besides her academics Nicole enjoys spending time with her family and friends and in her free time she likes to exercise, paint and read.
Tahreem Rana
Tahreem Rana is a 2022 recipient of the Exelon Stem Leadership Academy Scholarship and is currently a computer science student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). As an alumni of the Exelon STEM Academy, Tahreem is proud to say that she has been given an opportunity to train herself to excel in the field of computer science through rigorous coursework, mentorship programs, and hands-on experiences.
From a young age Tahreem has been fascinated by the world of computing and technology and has worked hard to develop her skills in various programming languages and software development methodologies. At UMBC, Tahreem has continued to pursue her passion for computer science, and she has been consistently recognized for heracademic achievements and extracurricular activities. One of Tahreem's proudest accomplishments has been her involvement in student organizations like the Association for Computing Machinery and the Women in Technology Club. In these groups, she has had the opportunity to take on leadership roles and work on initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion in the field of computer science as a woman. With a strong foundation in computer science, a passion for innovation, and a commitment to making a positive impact in the world, Tahreem is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for her as a computer scientist. Tahreem believes that with hard work and dedication, she can become a successful leader in the technology industry and make a real difference in people's lives.
Xiuyi Tan
Xiuyi Tan is a 2022 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient and was a participant in the 2021 Summer Exelon STEM Leadership Academy program. She is currently a freshman at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, majoring in Computer Science with an interest in human-computer interaction. She continues her involvement in the Asian community and STEM outside of her classes in registered student organizations on campus, including Vietnamese Student Association and Women in Computer Science. After college, Xiuyi hopes to work in the front-end engineering field to address prevalent problems of inequity in usability faced by underserved communities
Growing up in Chicago, IL, Xiuyi graduated from Walter Payton College Prep where she led and was a member of the varsity badminton team, Asian American Club, Asian dance groups, and honor societies. Her passion for STEM started off when she was a young girl, which led her to participate in STEM programs, including the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy, and classes to build her knowledge. She started her journey with Exelon as a junior in high school and has continued to build her knowledge and experience in the STEM field through opportunities offered by Exelon. She hopes to take her education and experience and invest it back in the community, especially for those in minority groups.
2021 Scholarship Recipients
Alima Conde
A 2021 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship winner, Alima Conde, is first-generation high school senior and attends Zebulon B. Vance High School while enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In the fall, she will begin her first semester of college majoring in Computer Science. Prior to attending Zebulon B. Vance High School, she resided in Maryland where she got the opportunity to participate in the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy in 2020.
Throughout her education, she has relocated frequently, although that has not kept her from achieving her academic and personal goals. Her experiences taught her to persevere and take on leadership roles by participating in local non-profit organizations. During her middle school years, she attended an all-girls STEM middle school where she found her passion for technology. Alima was named the school spelling-bee champion, won a leadership award and has remained on the honor roll.
Throughout her high school career, Alima has participated in an Academic bowl, been a teacher’s aide and has been a member of various clubs. She was a member of the Mad Scientists club where she researched Biomass energy industries and presented her project to judges receiving the gold medalist award. This year, she will graduate with a 4.37 GPA.
In addition to her academic success, she works hard to help her community and undertake leadership and volunteering activities. Alima participated in the Earth Day event at school where she decorated flyers that would encourage students to become eco-friendly. She also volunteered for an elementary school where she was able to make connections with young students with learning disabilities. Being fluent in English, French and literate in Arabic, she is hoping to expand her knowledge in languages. Without a doubt, she is driven by a desire to do good for her community and hopes to one day aid students with their educational goals.
Asata Mander
Asata Mander is a 2021 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient. Asata's Exelon journey began with the 2020 Summer Exelon STEM Academy program and extended into the Exelon STEM Mentoring program and multiple Exelon STEM sponsored programs. As a dual enrollment student at The George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Science and the Community College of Philadelphia; and a member of her school's Robotics club, Asata's love for learning and science is well-grounded in her educational foundation. This love for science and education reached from the classroom to the community and is well marked by her co-founding an Environmental Club within Philadelphia City Rowing and volunteering in her former elementary school with peer tutoring. These rich learning experiences and her love for learning led Asata to excel academically and become inducted into the National Society for High School Scholars.
Beyond academics, Asata is an athlete and volunteer within her community. Rowing is Asata's sport of choice; it is a significant aspect of her life; she is passionate about the sport. It is not only a physical challenge but a mental one as well. Rowing prepared Asata to excel at home, in her school, and community. Rowing taught her leadership skills, discipline, team building and created a drive for excellence. It also taught Asata patience, understanding, and the importance of working as a unit. It helped Asata to not only focus on bettering herself but also on her team. This love for rowing has translated into her committing to Villanova University Division I Rowing team. Rowing drives Asata forward. That drive has carried over to her work within the community; it is the fuel that leads Asata to volunteer.
Asata is a certified Lifeguard, an active student leader, co-founder of her School's first Black Student Union, and a historic Underground Railroad site volunteer at the Johnson House. In addition, every year, she volunteers for the Juneteenth Festival, serves meals at the Gift of Life Family House, works on voter registration drives, and participates in community clean-up events. Rowing and volunteering are not Asata's only activities; however, they highlight what motivates Asata. A drive to be her personal best, an appreciation of her heritage, and a commitment to improving herself and the community around her to create a better future.
It is this inspiration to improve communities that led Asata to choose Artificial Intelligence (AI). At the outset, choosing a career in AI may not seem consistent with the desire to make a difference in communities; unless you understand that real change comes from having a seat and a voice at the table. Machines are not, in fact, neutral. Machines and their emerging systems are only as good as the diversity, creativity, and coding which created them. AI is rapidly becoming an integral part of society. It is used in multiple systems- educational, criminal, social, financial, energy and health, to name a few. Asata recognizes it is how society will lean forward into the future. This recognition makes Asata grateful for the opportunity to partner, learn, and grow with Exelon. Asata understands the opportunity presented by the Exelon STEM Scholarship is life-changing and propels her in the direction of her dreams.
Danielle Thompson
Danielle Thompson is a 2021 recipient of the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship. Currently a rising sophomore at the University of District of Columbia, Danielle is majoring in Mechanical Engineering with the intention of having a career in the energy sector with an interest in nuclear power and the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Station. She is a graduate of Washington D.C’s Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School, specifically the Engineering Academy. She is NAF (define this) Track certified, and graduated high school valedictorian.
Danielle was an attendee at the very first Exelon STEM Leadership Academy, and in the following summers worked as a junior counselor at the academies as well as assisting with teacher workshops for the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project. She has worked as a Peer Health Educator with the Young Women’s Project, and volunteered with Progressive Maryland as an intern for Krystal Oriadha’s political campaign for Prince George's County Counsel. She is currently employed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, in the Explainers Program.
Nesochim Iheanyi-Igwe
Nesochim Iheanyi-Igwe is a 2021 recipient of the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship. She is an 11th grader at River Hill High School in Clarksville, Maryland and is graduating early in the class of 2021. She is a member of the Varsity Cheerleading team, President of Young Democrats, an Executive Board member of the Howard County Voices For Change advocacy group, an avid Girl Scout since Kindergarten, and a recent graduate of the Elkridge Junior Firefighters program, having participated since she was 10 years old.
Nesochim is dual enrolled at Howard Community College and in addition to her high school diploma, will be graduating this Spring with an Associates Degree. Creativity is an integral part of her daily life and she has an extensive art portfolio and awards that showcase this talent. Her linguistic skills include Arabic, French and most recently Chinese. She plans to pursue a career in Chemical Engineering and Computer Programming with a focus on polymer biomaterials. Nesochim hopes to start her own company designing and marketing models for bio-synthetics particularly for pediatric cancer patients.
During the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy, she was challenged with working on an innovative project to combat greenhouse emission. The challenge sparked and ignited her passion to continue finding solutions outside of the challenge space. She believes working in the energy and engineering sector will create a platform for her to make an impact, and that ideas like hers will help to create the next generation of scientists, engineers, and inventors, collaborating to create effective change.
Nicole Onyemeziem
A 2021 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient, Nicole Onyemeziem is currently a Senior at St Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, she will receive her high school diploma with honors. She is a member of Model UN, Black Organization of Successful Students (BOSS) and Students Committed to Social Action (SCSA). She was an active participate in the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy and continues to participate in many Exelon STEM Leadership Academy programs and events as a leader and student mentor.
Her curiosity in STEM since 8th grade, has led her to explore and participate in workshops at Brave Initiatives, ChickTech and Code Nation to build her technical skills. More recently she is engaged in a fellowship program at Stripe. In the Fall of 2021, Nicole will be attending Cornell University College of Engineering to study Computer Science or Operation Research & Information Engineering. After college, she hopes to use her knowledge and experience in innovation to help make a difference in the world. In her free time, she likes to cook, play the piano, dance and listen to music.
In 2020, Nicole was recognized for her commitment and service to her community with the President's Volunteer Service Award. Over the years she's volunteered with several organizations including serving Sunday dinner at Community Feast a soup kitchen in Rogers Park, Chicago IL; Chaotic Charities for the Tuesday supper, Moody Church at various events and Market Box where she helps bag and deliver groceries to families on the south side of Chicago.
Her achievements and aspirations in technology and computing have been recognized by the National Center for Women & Information Technology as an award recipient for Aspirations in Computing (AIC). In 2020, she was awarded the Northern Illinois Affiliate winner and in 2021 she received National Honorable mention.
Samantha Booher
Samantha Booher is a 2021 recipient of the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship. Currently a senior at Pennsbury High School in Yardley, Pennsylvania, she is President of two robotics clubs, Sea Falcons and Vex Robotics. As President she led Sea Falcons to first place at regionals as well as an invitation to internationals all during Covid-19.
Sam found her passion for engineering in her sophomore year of high school when she created a project for her design and prototyping class with her team that led to a profit of over two hundred dollars. She then continued on to independent study with the head of the Technology and Applied Engineering department where she taught the students how to use the computer numerical controlled router and taught the district’s primary education teachers how to use coding software.
An alumna of the 2019 Exelon Foundation STEM Leadership Academy, Samantha also served on the student staff for the academies in 2020 and in 2021. In the fall of 2021, she will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Worcester, Massachusetts, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
Teegan Mathey
A 2021 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy Scholarship recipient, Teegan Mathey is currently a senior at Oswego East High School, and resides in Aurora, IL. She first became involved in energy conservation during middle school and won national awards with her class through the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project and Exelon’s Energizing Student Potential program at Bednarcik Junior High. She continued to build her energy knowledge and has become very involved in a variety of ways at Exelon.
Teegan was a member of the Orange Flare ComEd IceBox Derby team in 2019, when her team became champions under the guidance of Emily Torres. Later that summer she participated in the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy as a student, which helped her realize that she wanted to pursue a career in Environmental Science. Since then she continues to serve as a student mentor for the Exelon STEM Leadership Academy and as a facilitator and moderator for many ComEd, Exelon and NEED Project programs.
Teegan was a summer 2020 ComEd intern where she had the opportunity to learn more about the company’s key values and see the daily tasks of a ComEd/Exelon employee. She participated in EcoTeam and met with Environmental Scientists during her virtual internship and saw the passion that employees had to create positive change. She s currently participating in the Exelon STEM Academy Mentorship Program where she is mentored by Amrita Pulidindi, Kathleen Robertson, and Hannah McGoldrick.
Teegan will begin her college education this fall at the University of Alabama where she will major in Environmental Science and minor in Pre-Law on the STEM to MBA path.