We are proud to share news from our GFF alumni who have recently graduated from high school. The students talk about their future educational plans and how our sponsorship program has shaped their educational choices and career paths.
Ahmik Ahmed
Ahmik Ahmed has graduated from Carbondale Community High School and will attend SIUC this fall.
“This fall, I plan to major in Computer Engineering and continue my education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. My experience at UChicago last summer taught me that I thrive in environments with a low student-to-faculty ratio, which is something that SIUC offers along with its new R1 research status,” Ahmik says.
“I studied ‘Biology and Its Modern Applications’ at UChicago last summer. That experience sparked in me an interest in the medical field. I am considering either a dual-major or minoring in a biology-related field at SIUC. Given the increasing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and medicine, I believe this would perfectly couple with my Computer Engineering major,” Ahmik adds.
Myra Anderson
Myra Anderson has graduated from Carterville High School and will be attending Southern Illinois University in the fall, where she will major in Biochemistry. In addition, Myra was one of 35 students to receive a Chancellor’s Scholarship which will cover her tuition, fees, housing, and meals for all 4 years at SIUC.
Myra describes her experiences as a GFF sponsored student. “Through the Garwin foundation, I was able to attend two precollege programs at The University of Michigan and The University of Chicago. Both programs offered me higher knowledge and more challenging material than I can receive in high school. Additionally, I was able to get lab experience that I was not exposed to in high school. Furthermore, the programs, more specifically the program at UChicago, helped me to learn valuable study skills and exposure to college level learning. Outside of that, my pre-college experiences allowed me to learn daily life skills and how to live on a campus. I have become more independent and incredibly well prepared by attending these programs and am grateful to Garwin for the opportunities,” Myra says.
“Apart from the programs themselves, the Garwin foundation has allowed me to connect with other students with academic interest and advice from well accomplished people. This foundation has given me so many opportunities, advice, and friendships that I am so grateful for,” Myra adds.
Seth Daniels
Seth Daniels has graduated from Carbondale Community High School and will attend Oregon State University this fall.
“I will be going to Oregon State University in Corvallis to major in Nuclear Science and Engineering. I am intending to also go through a program in the Navy which would allow me to use that degree to serve my country as a Naval Reactor Engineer. This would position me to use my communications skills to eventually work in the government on promoting the development of nuclear energy,” Seth explains.
“My time at Washington University in St. Louis, through the Garwin Family Foundation, was absolutely invaluable in getting me to where I am now, where I have access to these opportunities that I could not have imagined just one year ago. I learned how to read highly technical nuclear chemistry and translate it into something that the average one of my peers could easily grasp. This is one of the fundamental jobs of Naval Reactor Engineers. Talking about the experience I already had in this area was instrumental in allowing me to make the connections necessary for this opportunity to become available to me,” Seth adds.
“I never could have gone to WashU without the aid I received from the Garwin Family Foundation, and the odds I would have this route to what I want for my future would be much lower had I never gone to WashU. I owe so much to the Garwin Family, and I will never forget their role in supporting me to achieve the things I intend to,” Seth exclaims!
Sydney Davis
Sydney Davis has graduated from Carbondale Community High School. Sydney will attend the University of Iowa this fall where she will pursue a Creative Writing and Publishing degree.
“During my first summer with Garwin, I attended the Iowa Young Writers’ Workshop on the University of Iowa campus. At the time, I wasn’t sure writing was the path I wanted to follow. I had always loved reading, but I didn’t yet understand what it truly meant to be a writer,” Sydney says.
“That program changed everything. For the first time, I was surrounded by other young writers. The sense of community gave me confidence in my own voice. The campus, the program, people all felt like home. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a writer, and applying to Iowa felt like the natural next step,” Sydney adds.
“Over the last four years, I’ve come to understand how essential writing is to the world. It creates empathy, inspires connection, and calls us to kindness; things our world needs now more than ever. I want to be part of that,” Sydney explains.
“I’m beyond excited to continue my writing journey at Iowa. I’m deeply grateful to the Garwin Family Foundation for helping me find my way here and for introducing me to the rich writing community tucked inside Iowa’s bookstores and coffee shops,” Sydney says.
Jordan Johnson
Jordan Johnson has graduated from Carbondale Community High School. Jordan will attend Southern Illinois University this fall where he will study engineering. Jordan is excited to begin the next phase of his educational path at SIUC, and talks about his experiences as a GFF sponsored student.
“It’s been a long journey filled with challenges and growth, and I’m incredibly proud of how far I’ve come. I’m looking forward to diving into hands-on work, solving real-world problems, and using engineering to make a difference in the world around me,” Jordan reports.
“The Garwin Family Foundation has played a major role in helping me reach this point. Last summer, I had the opportunity to study biophysics at the University of Michigan through a program supported by GFF. That experience not only introduced me to new academic challenges but also gave me a glimpse into college life as a STEM major,” Jordan adds.
“Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful to have been part of the Garwin Family Foundation community. Their support allowed me to connect with like-minded peers, explore my interests, and ultimately discover my passion for engineering. Their guidance gave me clarity in my college decision, and I’m deeply thankful for their belief in me and investment in my future,” Jordan says.
Bill Xu
Bill Xu has graduated from Carbondale Community High School and will be attending Columbia University this fall, where he will major in computer science.
“During my time with the Garwin Family Foundation, I had the opportunity to attend the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute. At Beaver Works, I worked on a team that used artificial intelligence to assess hurricane damage from satellite imagery. While I already knew I wanted to pursue computer science, the program showed me how my interests could translate into real-world impact. It introduced me to the field of remote sensing and sparked my desire to use AI to solve challenges related to infrastructure and environmental resilience. That experience helped me define the kind of work I hope to do in the future,” Bill says.
“Building on that foundation, I continued with independent research projects, including using AI to detect culverts for flood prevention and modeling groundwater flow with machine learning. These experiences reinforced my interest in applying computer science to problems that matter. I’m incredibly grateful to the Garwin Family Foundation for supporting the opportunity that helped shape the direction of my academic path,” Bill adds.
Robert Wigfall
Robert Wigfall has graduated from Carbondale Community High School and will attend Washington University this fall, where he will major in philosophy, neuroscience, & psychology. Robert talks about how his past experiences as a GFF sponsored student helped clarify his career path.
“My Garwin experience started four years ago. As a freshman, I had little to no idea what I wanted to do beyond high school, let alone where my passions lay. After applying and getting into the GFF, I followed my weening interest in biology, taking a biotechnology course at UChicago. Quickly enthralled by the ethical discussions held in class, my experience at UChicago inspired my second GFF selection of an Introduction to Ethics course at Harvard University. Then, this past summer, I combined my preceding interests, taking a Biomedical Ethics course at WashU, where I now plan to complete my undergrad,” Robert says.
“My Garwin experience, over the past four years, has not only helped mold my academic passions, but construct a person secure in his next steps. Throughout my three GFF courses, I’ve met amazing people from all over the country and world. The stories I heard, perspectives I gained, and friendships I made inspired me to continue to academically challenge myself and reach for post-secondary heights. Without Garwin, my next steps in life would not be nearly as clear. With the learning I’ve done, friendships I’ve formed, and memories I’ve made, I can definitively say that I could never dream of being the person I am today without Garwin – and it is for that reason that I am forever grateful to call myself a GFF alumnus,” Robert adds.
Evan Wiggs
Evan Wiggs has graduated from Herrin High School and will attend Columbia University in the fall. Evan talks about how his experiences as a GFF sponsored student contributed to his success.
“In the time of my involvement with the Garwin Foundation, I was able to participate in the University of Chicago Summer Immersion Program, which opened my eyes to the immensity of academics and character. There, I learned myriad topics in the Physics of Stars course such as the evolutionary cycle of stellar objects, galactic observational analyses, and quantum mechanics. The experiences I obtained from the program inspired me to pursue a specialization in college of quantum astrophysics. Stemming from the experiences I had with the Garwin Family Foundation, I am eager to share that I will be attending Columbia University in the city of New York to receive a bachelor’s degree in astrophysics. It goes without saying that the Garwin Family Foundation significantly impacted my college decision,” Evan explains.
Evan offers advice to future GFF sponsored students, “To current and future members of the Garwin Foundation, I encourage you to, without reservation, take all the advantages of the support and mentorship that is available in this community. Though the crashing waves of uncertainty may appear in your life, hold strong with the influences of this outstanding family and greatness is possible,” Evan adds.
Congratulations and much success to all…
We are so proud of you!
