First-Year Reflections: Lessons from Our STEM Scholarship Winners

May 2026

By Maureen Haeger

One of my favorite times of the year is catching up with our STEM Forward scholarship recipients to hear how their first year of college is unfolding and how the scholarship has shaped their experience.

Lili Ryan, a mechanical engineering major at Carthage College, described her freshman year as “better than expected.” Coming from the rigorous academic environment at Catholic Memorial High School, she was pleasantly surprised by how well she could balance her coursework with everything else college had to offer. Her first year has been full of activity. Lili joined a music fraternity and the Zeta Tau Sigma sorority, runs on the cross-country and track teams, works at the campus store, and serves as a tour guide for prospective students. She attended a STEM fair that included a viewing of the Artemis space shuttle launch and is considering joining the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), though a scheduling conflict with her classes has delayed that for now.

Biggest surprises

When asked about the biggest surprise of freshman year, both young women highlighted the overwhelming number of opportunities available outside the classroom, including clubs, events, teams, and experiences that make it easy to feel stretched in every direction. For Lili, a positive surprise was how manageable the transition to college academics felt. Her demanding high school coursework had prepared her well, making college classes less intimidating than she had anticipated.

biggest challenges

With so many possibilities comes the challenge of balance. How do you manage your time when you suddenly control your own schedule? Both winners emphasized the importance of prioritizing well-being: getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, and learning to say “no” to some opportunities so you don’t burn out.

Advice to high school seniors

Both Lili and Maeve stressed that the hard work they put in during high school has paid significant dividends in college. Their top piece of advice: Challenge yourself academically now. A stronger high school foundation makes the leap to college far more manageable. Lili also encouraged incoming freshmen to get involved: “Join organizations where you can connect with people who share your interests. It’s one of the best ways to build community.” At the same time, she advised against over-scheduling every minute of your day. Leave room for flexibility and rest.

Dream Jobs and Future Aspirations

Maeve is passionate about sustainability and environmental economics, specifically how policy shapes our economy and environmental outcomes. She is currently applying for summer positions in business sustainability to gain practical experience in her field. Lili’s interest in mechanical engineering has taken a personal turn. After a recent class, she became fascinated with the mechanics of human motion, including the testing and design of sports equipment. As a dedicated runner on Carthage’s cross-country team, this area feels like a natural fit.

What Inspired You to Pursue STEM?

Maeve credits Mr. Tillman, her junior-year Environmental Systems & Societies teacher at Ronald Reagan High School (Milwaukee Public Schools), for igniting her passion. His deep knowledge and enthusiasm for the interconnectedness of humans and the environment left a lasting impression. Lili’s journey began even earlier. Her middle school Project Lead the Way (PLTW) classes hooked her immediately. She was so engaged that she once asked her teacher for more homework. She continued with PLTW throughout high school at Catholic Memorial and completed a senior internship at Dynatec. For her Capstone Project, she tackled a real-life problem: as a runner who wears glasses, she struggled to see in the rain. Her solution? A custom windshield for her glasses. That project showed her firsthand how engineering can solve everyday problems and meaningfully improve lives.

Who do you look up to?

Both scholarship winners named their parents as major role models, particularly for the visible passion they bring to their careers. Maeve admires her mother, a school librarian, and the deep sense of purpose she finds in her work. “I hope to have a job that I feel passionate about,” she said. Lili looks up to her father, an accountant who genuinely loves the details, spreadsheets, and problem-solving his role involves. From him, she learned the importance of choosing a career you’re truly interested in, one that brings you joy and energy.

How Has the Scholarship Impacted You?

Lili and Maeve both agreed that receiving the STEM Forward scholarship has made a meaningful difference. It has:

• Made them feel supported and encouraged, especially as women in STEM fields

• Reduced financial stress and lightened the burden of paying for college

• Freed up time and resources so they could fully participate in extracurricular activities and cover organization dues

We loved hearing about Lili and Maeve’s first-year experiences and are inspired by their energy, curiosity, and drive. If you’d like to help the next generation of Wisconsin STEM leaders, we invite you to join us for our 21st Annual Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing and Silent Auction. Your support helps us award eleven $3,000 scholarships, totaling $33,000, to outstanding students pursuing STEM degrees. It also funds impactful STEM programming across our community. There are multiple sponsorship options with or without golf. We also have a golf social ticket to attend the Scholarship Reception to hear directly from the scholarship winners.

Together, we’re creating opportunity and building the innovators of tomorrow. Learn more and register at: https://www.stemforward.org/scholarship-golf-outing

Posted May 2026 by Maureen Haeger, Marketing Communications & Program Manager, STEM Forward.