This fall, Glen Oaks Early Middle College graduate, Kylah Davis, of Burr Oak, will be heading to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to attend Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in marine biology. The ultimate goal for Davis, is a career as an aquatic veterinarian.
The big news though, was the day Davis received word that she had received a $60,000 academic scholarship to attend. “I was driving to the store, and my parents saw that there was a letter to me from LSU that said ‘scholarship award’ on the front. They opened the mail and called to tell me that I was receiving a huge academic scholarship – it was quite the unexpected surprise.”
“The program will take me two to three years to complete,” said Davis. “My Glen Oaks credits transfer nicely into the program and in the end, I’ll have a Bachelor of Science in Mega Marine Biology. Move-in day is August 12, and I’m looking forward to this amazing experience.”
So what inspired the rural Southwest Michigan grad to head down this path? “Before I was in the sixth grade, I lived in Naples, Florida,” said Davis. “I was invited to attend a Women’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) program at Hodges College in Fort Myers, FL. There was a marine biologist there and I took in everything she talked about. Ever since then, this has been my career choice.”
“My grandfather is from Louisiana and his favorite college team is the LSU Tigers,” said Kylah. “So I have family in the state and visited the campus back in March and fell in love with the school all the more. The campus includes a residence hall specifically for science students.”
After learning about the SJC Early Middle College program from her advisor, Davis enrolled and started during her sophomore year. She will be receiving her Associate of Science during the Glen Oaks commencement ceremony on May 5.
“I spent a lot of time in the science labs — Professors Hucko and Hartung are like the grandfathers of science,” said Davis. “They pushed me and provided help when I needed it. Glen Oaks has been an amazing experience for me and it was awesome to make this part of my high school experience.”