Snap EmpowHER Scholarship

“Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” – Verna Myers My name is Lauren Harris, and I’m a high-achieving senior ranked in the top 4 of my graduating class at Sumter County High School. I’ve maintained a 4.4 GPA while juggling dual enrollment courses, varsity athletics in three sports, leadership roles in clubs and community organizations, and the responsibilities of being a small business owner. I plan to attend Georgia Institute of Technology majoring in Industrial Design, then continuing into the master’s program with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. As a young Black woman passionate about technology and design, I know firsthand the power and necessity of diverse representation in STEM. Growing up in a low-income, rural school system with limited access to advanced STEM instruction, I often found myself as the only student of color, and frequently the only girl, in advanced math or coding spaces. The absence of representation didn’t deter me it fueled me. Representation in STEM is not just about equality it is about innovation. When teams lack diversity, they also lack perspective. Without input from underrepresented communities, too many technologies are designed without real-world inclusivity. That’s how we end up with medical devices that don’t detect symptoms on darker skin, or voice recognition systems that misinterpret accents. It’s not just an inconvenience it’s a form of exclusion. This is why I’ve committed myself to entering the field of Industrial Design with a purpose: to design equitable tools and spaces that reflect the real needs of all people not just a privileged few. I want to be part of reshaping how we build, test, and implement technologies so that empathy and inclusion are central to the process. Programs like Girls Make Games, the Georgia FLEX entrepreneurship competition, and the IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute gave me access to mentors, funding, and a platform. But what changed everything was seeing other young women of color leading and thriving in STEM. I finally saw that I belonged, too. Representation gives permission and that’s powerful. I plan to pay that forward. As I advance in my field, I’ll create mentorship pipelines for students of color and young girls who are often told that STEM “isn’t for them.” I’ll host design workshops in rural and Title I schools like mine, where I’ll show students how to prototype, code, and create solutions for problems in their own communities. Katherine Johnson, a Black female mathematician at NASA during the 1960s, was instrumental in calculating the trajectories for Project Mercury and Apollo 11. Before her contributions, the space program largely ignored or underestimated the talent of Black women in STEM. Without her precise calculations, John Glenn’s historic orbit of Earth would not have happened. In addition, A study by MIT researcher Joy Buolamwini (a Black woman in computer science) found that facial recognition software misidentified dark-skinned women up to 35% of the time, while white men had an error rate below 1%. This is because the datasets used to train these AI systems were not diverse. For decades, crash test dummies were modeled after the average adult male body. As a result, women were 73% more likely to be injured in car accidents and 17% more likely to die. It wasn’t until recent years that gender-inclusive dummies were introduced. This gap was due to the lack of gender diversity among engineers and designers in the auto industry. Diversity in STEM means we all get better solutions more just, more usable, and more human and inclusion means those solutions come from people who intimately understand the problems.

When I was fourteen, I passed out from exhaustion. I was working three jobs to help my parents pay rent, balancing school, church, and responsibilities at home. I remember lying on the floor, dizzy and overwhelmed, wondering if my dreams would always be out of reach. But what kept me going—what still keeps me going—is the belief that women like me can rise, even when the world tells us to shrink. My name is Vania Vasquez, and I am a proud daughter of Peruvian immigrants, a future pediatric dermatologist, and a young woman determined to empower others as I rise. Growing up in a low-income, Hispanic household, I didn’t see many women in science who looked like me. But I saw my mom—a pastor, a leader, a woman who fed the hungry even when we barely had enough ourselves. I saw strength in softness, and purpose in service. Watching her shaped how I see the world and why I’ve chosen a path in medicine. I want to become a pediatric dermatologist who not only heals skin, but helps children—especially those from overlooked communities—feel seen, safe, and confident in their own. This career excites me because it blends science and compassion. Skin conditions can be isolating and deeply tied to self-esteem. For children, those impacts can last a lifetime. I want to open a clinic that serves under-resourced areas and brings both high-quality care and emotional support. But more than that, I want to mentor young women of color who dream of entering STEM fields and don’t know where to begin. I want to be the person I once needed. I’ve already begun living that mission. On a mission trip to Perú, I served as a translator for a group of doctors providing medical care to local families. I didn’t have the title of “physician,” but I helped build trust. I listened. I encouraged. That’s what empowerment looks like to me—meeting someone where they are and reminding them of what they’re capable of. At school, as cheer captain and a friend, I try to live that out every day. I uplift girls who are insecure, offer advice to younger students, and remind others (and myself) that we’re not in competition—we’re in community. Empowered women empower women, and I fully believe that every time one of us breaks through, it makes more space for the next. I’m not just pursuing a career—I’m pursuing a purpose. I want little girls, especially Latina girls, to see me in a white coat and know they can do it too. I want them to know that no matter their background, no matter their financial situation, their dreams are valid and achievable. We don't need to fit into the world’s mold. We can reshape it. And I plan to do exactly that—through science, faith, service, and sisterhood.

When I was younger, I enjoyed reading the bumper stickers on passing cars. The stickers that struck me the most read “No Farms, No Food, Know your Farmer, Know your Food” or “Support Local Farms” or “Be Your Own Farmer.” I felt like these bumper stickers meant something important to our world and I wanted to be a part of it! I had an advantage. My grandfather is a third-generation farmer. I was blessed to be able to explore his farm and the different ways he encouraged the community to be a part of his farm. My favorite place was the farm petting zoo. I would spend my weekends during the busy season showing off the goats, rabbits, and chickens. I was proud to be able to share my passion with others. As I got older, I decided to embrace my passion and I enrolled in the Agricultural Sciences program at the Cecil County School of Technology. Through this program, I was able to visit a variety of local agricultural industries and farms. It opened my eyes to a life that I had only thought was possible in my dreams! I was drawn to the daily care and management of livestock, especially cows and goats. I learned about different ways local farms can impact the health of their communities and help to reduce food insecurity. I wanted to be part of the solution to so many problems facing my community. What if I could make a difference in the daily lives of those living near me? What if I could give another little girl the opportunity to dream about being a farmer too? My dream is to have my own dairy farm where I can use sustainable practices to increase access to affordable food and provide health care alternatives to my community. My dream includes working with local food banks to supply fresh dairy products to those in need, working with local universities and health-based research groups to find ways to use livestock to provide insulin and other medical products at lower costs to those in need, and sharing real world experiences with youth from my community through school and youth program activities. I want to spend my days sharing my passion for the outdoors and inspiring others to be future farmers of America, especially young women. My dream is to support other women reach their dreams in agriculture and livestock by working at a grassroots educational level. I want to offer experiential education programs through the local school system, FFA, and 4-H clubs to empower other girls like me to pursue careers in agriculture. Having hands-on opportunities to learn about caring for cows, pigs, and goats will allow other girls to learn and love working with large animals. I would like to be an adult leader to girls in 4-H and FFA to ensure that their interest in livestock is fueled by a positive role model. By sharing and modeling local and sustainable practices with young women in my community, they will be empowered to be an agricultural leader in their own way. Agriculture needs strong women leaders as much as strong women leaders need agriculture.

My name is Beneen Salim, and from a young age, I have been driven by a passionate desire to heal and nurture the youngest among us. Growing up in war-torn Iraq, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of inadequate healthcare, particularly on children and women. These experiences didn’t just shape me, they evoked an unwavering passion within me to become a pediatrician. My dream is not just a career goal but a mission to transform lives and bring hope to those who need it most. Back in Iraq, the healthcare system has led to devasting impacts on the community. Continuous conflict and a fragile economy have led to a dire situation where essential medical services are scarce. This crisis disproportionately affects the most vulnerable demographic- children and women. The rising number of deaths each year due to insufficient healthcare is a heart-wrenching statistic that I am determined to change. Children, who are the future of any nation, suffer the most. The lack of access to pediatric care means that preventable diseases often become fatal. My career path excited me because it is not about treating illnesses; it’s about giving children the chance to grow up healthy and achieve their potential. The thought of being a pediatrician fills me with a sense of purpose. I envision myself providing medical care comfort and hope to both children and their families. The ability to alleviate pain and contribute to a child’s well-being is incredibly fulfilling and drives me every day. In the future, I plan to work as a doctor in the United States, where I can hone my skills and gain valuable experience. However, my ultimate goal extends beyond my practice here. I am committed to giving back to my roots by funding and establishing a hospital in Iraq. This facility will employ certified medical staff dedicated to providing comprehensive healthcare to the local population. I aim to create a safe haven where children and women can receive the care they need. Supporting women’s empowerment is also a crucial aspect of my vision. In many parts of Iraq, women face significant barriers to accessing healthcare. By ensuring that a hospital offers specialized services for women, I hope to contribute to their empowerment. Access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right, and by providing it, we can help women lead healthier lives and support their families and communities more effectively. To prepare for this journey, I plan to attend a 4-year university and actively seek opportunities that immerse me in pediatric care through volunteer work and internships. Currently, I am involved in advocacy efforts, working with organizations dedicated to healthcare improvements and women’s rights both locally and internationally. These experiences are shaping me into a well-rounded individual, equipping me with the knowledge, empathy, and leadership skills necessary to drive meaningful change in healthcare and champion the rights of women and children. Becoming a pediatrician is more than a career aspiration; it is a heartfelt commitment to addressing the healthcare disparities that I have witnessed throughout my life. By working in the United States, I will gain the expertise needed to make a profound impact, and my ultimate goal is to establish a hospital in Iraq that provides much-needed medical care to children and women. This journey is about creating a legacy of compassion, health, and empowerment, ensuring that the most vulnerable receive the care they deserve by fostering a healthier future for communities near and far.