FOSSI: Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Iylan Howson and I am from Decatur, Georgia. I am attending North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) in the fall to study Bioengineering, with plans to become a Biomedical Engineer. I graduated from Decatur High School with honors and an IB Diploma by completing their IB program. I was an active member of the National Honor Society, Black Student Union, environmental club, chorus, and track team throughout high school. I was also captain of my school's track team for two of the four years I participated, leading my team to state all four years.
I aspire to defy expectations for what African American women do, who they are, and what they achieve.
My initial interest in engineering began during my freshman year physics class, and evolved from a basic interest in the more mechanical aspect of engineering to a more medicine and biology focused interest after taking chemistry and biology classes. While exploring the biomedical field, I recognized the lack of African American women in the space, which only pushed me to want to further explore, and ultimately choose, Biomedical Engineering as my future career path. I look forward to successfully continuing my education at NC A&T.
FOSSI: Why are you passionate about pursuing a degree in a STEM-related field?
I am passionate about pursuing a degree in bioengineering because I want to innovate and diversify the engineering community. I aspire to defy expectations for what African American women do, who they are, and what they achieve. I want to design and innovate medical instruments for diseases that Black and minority communities are more prone to, and consistently work with and for the innovation of Black communities.
Engineering is something I feel many African American women shy away from for a variety of reasons, but by adding to the number of African American engineers in the field, I hope to help the new generation gain the confidence and determination to push for their dreams and go for less-represented careers. I want to create a strong community of black female engineers that persevere and emerge to achieve black excellence for years to come.
FOSSI: Why is receiving the FOSSI scholarship important for you?
As someone who values different perspectives, having an early view into possible career options will help to narrow my focus and hopefully provide a unique level of guidance. It will allow me to develop the mindset of a successful Black female engineering student - one who knows what they want and uses the resources available to achieve it, including invaluable mentor relationships. The regular exposure will help foster networking and connections throughout the industry, which could lead to other mentorship opportunities.
Opportunities like these are rare and I'm confident that the FOSSI program has all the tools to help me chase my ambitions, entice my interest, make a difference, become the first engineer in my family, and equip me with the tools to not only be a leader in this field in the future, but to be the future.
FOSSI: Share a few fun facts about yourself.
- I love reading.
- I like to travel.
- I like watching movies.
- I like the outdoors.
- I love meeting new people and gaining new perspectives.
- My favorite subjects in high school were history and biology.
- Almost all of my aunts and uncles on my mom's side went to Hampton University.
- I have travelled to five different countries: Costa Rica, Italy, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Fiji.
- At my first concert, I caught Beyoncé's sweaty towel.
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