Two SLU Graduate Students Receive Total of $75,000 Monsanto Scholarships
Monsanto has selected two Saint Louis University graduate students to receive scholarship awards, totaling $75,000, as a part of the company’s efforts to encourage graduate students to pursue careers in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Elizabeth Walker, of St. Charles, Missouri, is pursuing a doctoral degree in biology. She received a Monsanto STEM Fellowship Award of $50,000.
Pruthvi Pota, a master’s degree student studying bioinformatics and computational biology, received a 2016 Monsanto Graduate School Scholarship of $25,000.
In an effort to encourage scholarship and promote the career opportunities in the STEM and agriculture fields, the company provided 14 graduate students at 11 schools a total of $450,000: specifically, Monsanto gave 10 master’s students scholarships totaling $250,000 and four doctoral students fellowship awards of $200,000 collectively. SLU was one of three schools with more than one recipient.
For Walker, the fellowship offers more than money.
“This award – my first after many applications – meant so much to me because it validated my career path,” she said. “I am extremely interested in bacterial microbiomes and their influence on human and plant health – one day I would like to use my interests in microbiomes to help solve different human and plant-related issues that can be solved with microbes.”
Pota is happy to have the funding, but she, too, notes that this scholarship means more than financial help.
“This award not only means that my graduate school expenses will be greatly reduced, but it brings confidence to me that I can accomplish what I set my goals to with my studies and research work with the major that I have chosen,” said Pota, who began work on her degree in the new master’s program SLU is offering in bioinformatics and computational biology.
“After graduation in May, I would like to pursue a job in computational biology, whether it is in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company,” she said. “I hope to do computational analysis on the human genome that leads to personalized medicine development. Monsanto has been working in the computational genetics field for quite some time in the agriculture industry, and being awarded from this prestigious company is encouraging to keep taking my work further.”
Pota said she was not always as comfortable with her decision to be in the first class of students in SLU’s new master’s program in computational biology.
“I was a bit scared initially of the organization of the program's courses and graduate track because of its first time being offered, but as I started taking classes and applying the knowledge into real-world research projects, I felt great about the program,” she said. “The professors will go to the ends of the world to make sure students understand their material, guide students through internship/scholarship applications, and make their teachings relevant and exciting.”
Walker agreed. Both women expressed their excitement about the professors and the program in STEM at SLU. Walker spoke of her professors and the atmosphere that promotes success at SLU.
“I chose SLU because I love St. Louis and the nurturing environment that SLU offers its graduate students,” she said. “The biology department graduate program has been a perfect fit for me – the faculty and staff are supportive and encouraging, always willing to help us reach our goals.”
Walker said she sees the award as a significant step in the direction she wants to take her career.
“Following graduation I plan to pursue a career in industry – receiving this award, which was geared toward graduate students who wish to pursue a career in industry, from a company such as Monsanto was a huge honor,” she said. “This award will help improve the quality of my research, which will hopefully lead to a successful career in industry.”