Emily Minotto, Biological Sciences

photo by Dawn Deppi

Montgomery County Community College was not part of Emily Minotto’s plan when she began the arduous process of choosing a college.  She was accepted and awarded scholarships at several universities and chose one from among those options. In July 2009, prompted by the unavailability of on-campus housing and the high cost of education at the university, even after the application of scholarship funds, Emily “made the critical shift to attend MCCC.”

Emily is emphatic that attending MCCC was “a different path but a great choice!”

“What at first seemed unconventional became a stepping stone in the personal development I have made throughout my studies at MCCC.”

As a non-Montgomery County student, Emily paid a higher tuition rates than those in county. As a result, scholarships were especially important.

“My studies would not have been possible without [the] scholarships through MCCC,” she said.

A biological sciences major, Emily is a STEM Scholar, a program made possible through a grant from the National Science Foundation. STEM students receive tuition, books and fee payment and work with faculty mentors to build collaborative efforts across the majors.

“Scholar responsibilities include academics and service projects to encourage the growth of STEM majors,” she said.

Emily was also awarded the 2011-2012 Community Service Scholarship through MCCC’s Foundation for her extensive service work.  She served as the vice president of service for the Alpha Kappa Zeta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society. She helped raise funds and a one-time food donation of more than 20,000 pounds for Philabundance, and she helped plan a dodge ball tournament that benefitted the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

As sponsorship chair for the College’s first-ever Relay for Life in 2011, Emily contacted local businesses to solicit their support. The successful campaign helped raise more than $27,000 for the American Cancer Society.

In addition to the Foundation and STEM scholarships, she received a $1,000 Georgine Kearney Scholarship, awarded through Exeter Township Senior High School to a female student entering the health sciences.

Emily will earn an associate’s degree in biological sciences in May and will transfer to a four-year university, where she “hopes to blend biological sciences with the arts, [perhaps] in the form of medicine or biological anthropology or human studies.”

For Emily, her time at MCCC “has been an enriching experience and a financially sound choice.” The benefits became more evident to her over time, including “greater intimacy in the learning environment… professors with a unique level of understanding of student demographics due to the diversity of the students… and the financial benefits of [a] life with freedom from debt.”

~ by Tamara A. Measler