FOSSI: Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Mason Bligen-Miller, and I am from Queens, NY. I have a 4.2 GPA, I am a three-sport athlete (with my main sport being basketball), and I also play football and run track. After initially attending Holy Cross High School in Queens, I was recruited to play basketball at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia. Believing it would be a greater opportunity athletically and academically, I decided to transfer and attend the school after my sophomore year.
Being at Fork Union was the most difficult and challenging chapter of my life. It was a complete culture shock coming from bustling New York City to the quiet and extremely rural Fork Union, Virginia. Aside from the change in scenery, attending a boarding school away from my mother and home was a challenge. Dealing with the constant stress that comes with being in a military environment was also a daily arduous task.
After three years, I graduated third in my class in May of 2022 and despite the various hardships, I can honestly say I emerged from the school a better and stronger man. This fall, I am looking forward to completing my next task of attending Howard University, majoring in civil engineering, and upon graduating, continuing an extensive career in this field that I love.
FOSSI: Why are you passionate about pursuing a degree in a STEM-related field?
I am passionate about persuing a degree in a STEM-related field because I feel like STEM encapsulates what our world is about. Science, technology, engineering, and math are the pillars of almost everything we see around us. Our cars, irrigation systems, houses, computers and whatever other daily appliances or things you see are likely created from a STEM field.
Additionally, I believe there is a lack of black engineers and there is a general need for more black people in the STEM realm than there are currently. Therefore, I want to be a part of a new generation of engineers, specifically black engineers to serve as trailblazers in developing and unlocking innovative technologies to help better our future. I also want to help incentivize and inspire the younger generation of black engineers to follow this path to continue the evolution of STEM.
FOSSI: Why is receiving the FOSSI scholarship important for you?
Being a recipient of the FOSSI scholarship is especially important to me because it affords me the opportunity to do something that I have always wanted to do since I was a child, which is to attend an HBCU and enter the engineering arena. My mother is a graduate of Hampton University and has always supported me, inspired me, and pushed me to be the best that I can, and I have always wanted to follow in her footsteps and attend an HBCU.
Receiving the FOSSI scholarship has allotted me the ability to do so and it will aid in relieving some of the financial burden. Also, since I was younger, particularly after I attended the NSBE Jr. (National Society of Black Engineers) camp when I was 10, I have yearned to be a part of the engineering field and play an integral role in developing the technology that will shape our future.
FOSSI: Share a few fun facts about yourself.
Some fun facts about me are that I am very tall, standing at six foot six. I have been playing basketball for as long as I can remember and in my final season, I was named to the VISAA All-Prep basketball team at the end of the season. This year, for my senior year, I tried joining the track team for the first time and finished 3rd at the VISAA State Championship meet for high jump. My favorite athlete/basketball player is Lebron James, and I have a jersey of his from every team he has played for. My favorite movie is Saving Private Ryan, and my favorite show is Breaking Bad. Lastly, my favorite hobbies are watching YouTube videos, playing basketball, and playing video games.