As a freshman at Iowa State University, Melanie Stoss was already shining as a bright and promising chemistry student. Inspired by her older sisters to pursue science, she was a natural in the classroom, and in the lab.
“I was exposed to how exciting science was earlier than most students,” Stoss said, whose oldest sister is 10 years older than she is. “I had great footsteps to follow in, and they showed me how cool chemistry could be.”
Stoss, a sophomore from Cedar Falls, is now double-majoring in chemistry and Spanish (both are majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences). She juggles her classes and coursework with extracurricular activities, which include Spanish Club, participating in undergraduate research, and heavy involvement in the ISU Honors Program as a co-leader for her Honors Seminar class (for which she helps lead discussions, plan events, lead activities and facilitate group activities).
One thing that isn’t in her mix is working to pay for college. While still a senior in high school, she was awarded the Clifford C. Hach Memorial Scholarship, a four-year scholarship given to one ISU chemistry major each year. And at the end of her freshman year, Stoss earned the Alice and Donald Hudson Undergraduate Research Scholarship in Chemistry, which gave her the opportunity to work as a member of the Department of Chemistry’s research teams over the summer.
Keith Woo, a professor of chemistry, encouraged her to apply. He had seen Stoss’ potential in his advanced general chemistry lab course and wanted her to have the opportunity to do more.
“Without these scholarships, I would not have been able to be the lead student in a research project this past summer and learn first-hand how to problem-solve in the lab,” she said. “I would have missed out on the opportunity to work closely with my research professor, as well as his graduate student.”
“Part of Professor Woo’s lab course is spent working on his own specific research project for about six weeks instead of doing ‘textbook’ lab work,” Stoss said. “His work has an environmental focus and it was really fun to have an opportunity to work on something specific.”
Stoss said the most valuable aspect of receiving a scholarship is the ability to do more and learn more.
“The fact that I don’t have to worry about paying to go to school is always in the back of my mind,” she said. “I love that I can get more involved, join clubs, spend more time in the lab, and even talk to my professors after class or during their office hours whenever I want. When you have to worry about getting to a job, you don’t have those same opportunities.”
In a few short weeks, Stoss will head to Caceres, Spain to spend her spring semester studying language, literature and culture in 300-400-level classes taught entirely in Spanish. It’s another door opened by LAS alumni generosity.
“My chemistry scholarships have made it possible for me to study abroad for a semester," she said. "I know that I can take my four years at Iowa State to explore interests and career opportunities without feeling guilt or regret that I am not on the fastest track possible to graduating early and obtaining a job.”
Stoss said she is thankful for the alumni who have provided these scholarships.
“Without these scholarships, I would not have been able to be the lead student in a research project this past summer and learn first-hand how to problem-solve in the lab,” she said. “I would have missed out on the opportunity to work closely with my research professor, as well as his graduate student.”
Figuring out the right path for the future is stressful, she said, and the scholarships provided by alumni help ease that stress by opening doors for students to explore some of the countless options for the future.