Congratulations to the AAUW High School STEM and Post-Secondary LAS or Vocational Awardees for 2024.  These students have achieved the highest academic successes, participated in academic and leadership, extra-curricular activities and volunteered or were employed in the community.

Let’s meet the awardees!

Post Secondary Scholars

Manar Abdulelah is a Biomedical student at Rockford University. Manar’s story is one of “perseverance and determination.” She came to the USA from Iraq at age 14 facing a new language and culture. Her part time jobs at a retail store and a coffee shop helped her adapt to both. She has worked as a dental assistant and now as an academic tutor and volunteer at UW Health plus shadowing two local oncologists. Besides being an excellent student, she is also an agent of cultural change as she joined the Multi-Cultural Club at Rock Valley College and now has organized an Arabs United Club at RU.

Julisa Gutierrez is an Elementary, Bilingual, and Special Education student at Rockford University. Julisa is a first-generation student who has earned the honor of being a Distinguished Scholar at RU. She also serves as a leader in the Regent Experience for freshmen students newly on campus. She is a peer tutor supporting students in multiple academic areas. Besides care-giving for her family members, Julisa has volunteered at the Discovery Center.

High School STEM Scholars

Hadley Slawson is graduating from Keith country Day School before going to University to study Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She has worked as a paid intern at U of I Rockford School of Medicine focusing on tropic disease research and  a current internship in molecular genetics. A tennis player, member of the Select Choir, and Yearbook Editor, Hadley has experienced a holistic path leading to her high school graduation with High Honors with Distinction.

Rebecca Wang is graduating from Auburn High School before majoring in Neuro Science at Northwestern University.  Rebecca explains “I immersed myself within extracurriculars relevant to medicine. I volunteered at my local hospital, strived for cancer advocacy, became a part of the board of our school’s health club, coordinated a blood drive, and interned at a stem cell lab.”  Rebecca’s internship at Uof I Rockford School of Medicine focused on patient-specific neural 3D organisms.  Besides academics, she read memoirs of Doctors which encourage her to enter the field of medicine herself.

Addysen, ZhiHui, Feng is graduating from Auburn before majoring in Microbiology and Immunology at University. Addysen is a full-rounded student who plays on the Auburn tennis team serving as Captain of the girls team and manager of the boys team. Addysen also plays another set of strings as a violinist for the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. She worked as an intern at the U of I Rockford School of Medicine focusing on ”adaptive immune system in connection to the cardiovascular system with the aim of preventing atherosclerosis. “  Addysen is employed by KUMON Math and English Center and also as a  pharmacy Technician at UW Health.

Jacqueline Chen is graduating from Hononegah High School before she majors in Bio-Engineering at Stanford University. Jackie is a first- generation immigrant who has embraced leadership and academic opportunities. She is the President of the Newspaper Club, played soft ball and led the Academic Challenge at her High School. Her volunteer  work is varied as a coach for the Science Olympiad, Emergency room volunteer at Beloit Memorial Hospital and a Math tutor. You might find Jackie working at the Happy Wok or as an intern at the U of I School of Medicine where she “researched the mechanisms of cancer and conducted experiments for her project—investigating a novel chemotherapy treatment for prostate cancer”.

Congratulations to the awardees!