Mehjabin Begum Awarded Aspire2STEAM Scholarship

Young EMT and aspiring physician embraces difficult subjects to help her community

DAVENPORT, IA, UNITED STATES, August 9, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Aspire2STEAM.org, which is known for its scholarship and recognition program for young women and girls working towards careers that require education in science, tech, engineering, the arts, or math (STEAM), has awarded Mehjabin Begum a LEGACY scholarship.

Mehjabin, a first-generation woman in STEM studying at Montclair State University, has always had a lifelong interest in medicine. Majoring in Molecular Biology was consequently a natural choice for the aspiring physician. “We’re especially impressed by Mehjabin’s enthusiasm in the healthcare field and we’re just as enthusiastic to propel her passion forward,” said Cheryl O’Donoghue, founder of Aspire2STEAM. “We want to award her work ethic because she’s had a great impact in her community and we know she’ll only continue to extend her efforts.”

During high school, Mehjabin discovered that her interest was no longer something of burgeoning intrigue, but a concrete passion. “Learning about the human body systems for all four years made me realize that there is no other subject that fascinates me more,” she exclaimed. Compelled to enrich this passion. Mehjabin joined the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) and became a registered Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Desiring hands-on experience, she participated in HOSA’s dental terminology and pathophysiology events before putting her EMT skills to the test in her senior year where she placed 3rd in regionals and 4th in state EMT simulation competitions. “Being able to practice medicine through HOSA events was invaluable and I am very grateful for the experience,” said Mehjabin. “HOSA competitions are an excellent resource for aspiring medical practitioners.” Also of note, for her “outstanding determination,” she won the Educator’s Choice Award by her school’s Educator of the Year and became a Presidential Scholar.

Soon to be a junior, Mehjabin’s involvement in healthcare has already helped her gain distinction. From instructing students in EMT services as a volunteer Field-Training Officer to founding her own student health organization, Mehjabin is a gifted leader who demonstrates intense initiative — although her accomplishments don’t end there. She additionally researches behavioral thermoregulation in animals with her mentor, Dr. Scott Knight, the Associate Dean of MSU’s College of Science and Mathematics, and assists first-year students as a “University Fellow,” where she mentors freshmen through that intimidating inaugural year, something she knows all too well. Her courses are “rigorous” and demanding, however, she remains undeterred.

Medicine is not Mehjabin’s singular passion, for she also loves to paint. Thankfully for her friends and family, she isn’t an introverted artist either and shares her work on Instagram and other platforms. As Marketing Director for her school’s Muslim Student Association, she frequently injects her imagination into her brush, creating welcome signs for the organization’s events. She has even donated some of her paintings to charity events dedicated to fighting world food crises, like Islamic Relief. Mehjabin first and foremost wants to help her community — be it through some scrubs and a stethoscope — or a beret, palette, and pen.

Looking to the future, Mehjabin hopes to one day specialize in cardiology or psychiatry. “There is considerable stigma surrounding mental health in our brown community,” said Mehjabin. “And South Asians are more likely to die from heart disease than the general population. I see the needs in these areas to be great and I’m eager to pursue a career where I can help raise awareness and provide care.”

About Aspire2STEAM

Help us fund more scholarships for students just like Mehjabin!
Donate now.

Established in 2018, Aspire2STEAM.org is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which has earned Guidestar’s Gold Seal for integrity, transparency, and accountability. Over the years it has become known for its scholarship and recognition program to support young women and girls who are working hard — aspiring — to achieve careers that require education in science, tech, engineering, the arts, or math. Aspire2STEAM is committed to helping women and girls with a hand up over the incredible barriers of scholarship award inequity, rising education costs and student debt, and the real, ever-present opportunity barriers that keep them out of most male-dominated industries.

Scholarship Applications Accepted Year-Round! Share this online application today.

Please donate. Your kindness is a catalyst for change and empowerment for the young women and girls we serve.

Cheryl O'Donoghue
Aspire2STEAM
+1 630-253-8861
email us here

Meet Mehjabin Begum, Recipient of Aspire2STEAM Scholarship!