STEM education

2025 Supporting STEM Scholarship Recipient

Recipient: Kevin Doubler

When this award was announced in July 2025, Kevin had graduated from Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio, and planned to attend Purdue University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering.

Kevin was a valedictorian nominee, an AP Scholar with Distinction, and a recipient of honors including the President’s Award for Academic Excellence, the Governor Mike DeWine Merit Award, and the Midwest Regional Rowing Association All-Athlete Award. He also completed his school’s Health Sciences Honors Program.

After recovering from a season-ending injury, Kevin helped his crew team win a Scholastic Rowing Association national championship in the JV8+ event. In the classroom, he led teams on two NASA-sponsored capstone projects with scientists at NASA Glenn Research Center, working on lunar-wheel and jet-engine acoustic-liner designs.

Kevin

2024 Supporting STEM Scholarship Recipient

Recipient: Eric Kugel

When this award was announced in August 2024, Eric had graduated from Mayo High School and planned to attend the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in a combined bachelor's and master's program in computer science with a minor in mathematics.

Eric was recognized as a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program candidate, National Merit Scholarship finalist, and AP Scholar with Distinction. His music activities included serving as concertmaster of his school orchestra, performing in the theater pit orchestra, participating in Southeastern Minnesota Youth Orchestras, and joining the MMEA All-State Orchestra.

His interest in programming also supported leadership and service. He worked as a teaching assistant, collaborated on a unit-test-based Java grading application for computer science teachers, and created a Next.js website for Kids United International.

At the time of the award, Eric

2023 Supporting STEM Scholarship Recipient

Recipient: Harris Chen

When this award was announced in August 2023, Harris had recently graduated from Collierville High School and was preparing to begin studies at Columbia University with interests in computer science and physics.

Harris graduated at the top of his class and participated in piano, swimming, and volunteer work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he founded the AYLUS Greater Memphis chapter and worked with local organizations on philanthropic and community-service activities. The original award announcement reported that the chapter organized more than 150 activities and raised more than $7,500.

His academic activities included leadership roles in his school’s Science Olympiad and Science Bowl clubs, participation in the Yale Summer Program in Astrophysics, Python-based data analysis, and co-authoring a research paper. He also attended the Tennessee Governor’s School, where he explored nanotechnology

2021 Supporting STEM Scholarship Recipient

Recipient: Ethan Brumberger

When this award announcement was published in August 2022, Ethan had graduated summa cum laude from The Woodlands High School and was preparing to enter the Engineering Honors Program at Texas A&M University to study mechanical engineering.

During high school, Ethan participated in academic honor societies and helped build robots for his school’s team, which won the 2022 Texas State FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Championship. He also received the AP Scholar with Distinction Award.

Beyond academics, Ethan earned the rank of Eagle Scout, held leadership positions in the Boy Scouts, and participated in community-service projects through scouting and school activities.

At the time of the award, Ethan hoped to apply his engineering education to technology that benefits society, including possible work involving surgical robotics, autonomous vehicles, or space exploration.

2020 Supporting STEM Scholarship Winner: Cindy Zheng

2020 winner: The Supporting STEM Scholarship program named Cindy Zheng its 2020 award recipient.

At the time of the award, Zheng had graduated from Baton Rouge Magnet High School as a 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholar, National Merit Scholar, and National AP Scholar.

Her high-school record included serving as president of the BRMHS Beta Club, coordinating volunteer opportunities, and placing first in mathematics at the 2019 National Convention. As an executive board member for BRMHS Mu Alpha Theta, she shared her interest in mathematics with fellow students. She also held leadership roles in Science Bowl, STEM Club, and Chinese Club.

Zheng was a varsity golf captain and studied classical Chinese dance, performing at cultural events in Louisiana. When the award was announced, she planned to attend Brown University and major in applied mathematics, with an interest in the intersection of healthcare

2018 Supporting STEM Scholarship Recipient

2018 winner: The Supporting STEM Scholarship program recognized a University of Arizona student pursuing molecular and cellular biology with a minor in physiology.

At the time of the award, the recipient was beginning the senior year of an undergraduate program. A family experience with lung cancer had inspired a goal of contributing to cancer research and helping others affected by the disease.

The recipient reported two years of biotechnology-laboratory experience and approximately a year and a half of research at the Arizona Cancer Center. That work examined how epigenetic changes may contribute to cancer and used molecular methods to study the function of a long noncoding RNA across several cell types.

The 2018 announcement also noted acceptance into the University of Arizona master's program in molecular and cellular biology, with plans to continue in the same laboratory and present a thesis in May