Sydney Hawkins
Sydney Hawkins has been accepted into the prestigious Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Scholars Program at Princeton University.
It’s an impressive achievement for Ms. Hawkins, a senior Biology major from Ripley, NY, as only 10 U.S. students and two international students are accepted each year.
The objective of the EEB Scholars program is to give students seeking an academic path in ecology and evolutionary biology the tools needed to confidently and successfully apply to graduate school programs.
Sydney will especially benefit from the off-campus networking opportunities through these activities, as she develops connections among her peers as well as with active researchers in the discipline," - Dr. Courtney Wigdahl-Perry
Excited and humbled was how Ms. Hawkins reacted to being invited to EEB program. “It was encouraging to see that I was able to convey my passion for ecological research in a way that was compelling to the committee,” she said.
“This program will provide knowledge and support that will allow me to make more informed decisions regarding graduate school,” Hawkins said. “It is clear that the researchers involved are passionate about promoting graduate school accessibility, and I look forward to engaging with the mentorship that this program offers.”
Department of Biology Associate Professor Courtney Wigdahl-Perry indicated the program is a wonderful opportunity for students to gain a better understanding of the graduate school application process in the sciences.
“I see programs like EEB as being great ways to make graduate school more accessible and demystifying the process,” Dr. Wigdahl-Perry explained, “and therefore allowing more amazing future scientists -- like so many of our students -- to have access to additional educational opportunities that they deserve.
EEB Scholars attend workshops on graduate school application and interview processes, meet faculty members, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in small group meetings, gain practical experience by participating in mock interviews and present a poster on their past and ongoing research.
“From early on, Sydney has demonstrated her enthusiasm and aptitude for science here at Fredonia -- she has been working throughout her studies to be ready for additional training in the sciences, so graduate school applications are coming up fast,” Wigdahl-Perry said.
Students can also learn more about the EEB program at Princeton, she added.
“Sydney will especially benefit from the off-campus networking opportunities through these activities, as she develops connections among her peers as well as with active researchers in the discipline,” Wigdahl-Perry observed.
“We are very proud of her work so far, and we look forward to seeing what she will accomplish next!”
All travel and lodging costs are covered by the program to be held Sept. 17 to 20.
Hawkins, a graduate of Chautauqua Lake Central School, intends to pursue a research career in the life sciences and is in the process of identifying doctorate programs she will apply to attend this fall.
