FOSSI: Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! My name is Sabreeya Travis, and I am currently a graduating senior at Central High School in Philadelphia. During high school, I completed the International Baccalaureate Program, which is a two year program that selects 60 students to participate out of the entire class, from junior through senior year. While keeping up with academics, I also participated in multiple extracurriculars like the African American Student Union, Black Student Council, and Afrocentric (a club at Central High School). I was also the magazine director for the club Afrocentric and I designed the cover for the second edition of the first Black magazine at Central High School.
In the fall, I will be attending Delaware State University where I will be majoring in Bioengineering and participating in Track and Field. Going to an HBCU has always been an aspiration of mine, and I am proud that I will be entering college as a STEM major while being around people who look like me, in an unapologetically Black environment.
Outside of school and track, I love to make art and listen to music. Painting is one of my favorite mediums, but I create multiple mediums of art from digital to charcoal sketching. Music-wise, I like to listen to anything that sounds good; although I will say rap and R&B are my favorite types of music to listen to. J. Cole. is actually my favorite artist and I even painted a portrait of him. Also, I am the middle child of two sisters and I have a nephew. Doing almost anything with my family makes me very happy.
FOSSI: Why are you passionate about pursuing a degree in a STEM-related field?
My dad actually introduced me to engineering. I am naturally a very hands-on and creative person,
which helped me solidify choosing engineering as a career path. Because the engineering field only consists of 2% of Black women, it makes me all the more proud to help grow that statistic.
As a Black woman, I want to make contributions to the field that redefine what it means to be a Black woman in STEM. I’m open to trying and learning almost anything and it excites me knowing that I can be a part of something that can create change in the world, while simultaneously doing something I already love to do.
FOSSI: Share a few fun facts about yourself.
Just last year, my family and I went into the pet store to look for a fish for the house. However, things never go as planned when surrounded by so many cute animals. So, although we originally went into the store for a small fish, we walked out with a baby bearded dragon and a 40-gallon tank. I named him Mushu like the dragon in the movie "Mulan", and he is about a foot long and bright orange in color. He will be around a year old this July, and he has the calmest personality. He can sit and watch T.V. with me for hours before falling asleep in my arms or right beside me. All I can say is I have no regrets, Mushu is proudly a part of the family.
Hear more from Sabreeya about why attending an HBCU is important to her.
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