Fifth Year Scholars
Scholar Class of 2024-2025
Katrina D'Arms
Environmental Engineering, Scholar Class of 2024-2025
Bio
How did you come to choose CMU?
I chose CMU because it had a top ten ranked environmental engineering program, it was 3 hours from home, Pittsburgh is a lively and beautiful city, and CMU has an active arts program.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
Environmental justice history (historical and indigenous perspectives on the water infrastructure I learned how to design and build in my engineering classes). My own mending skills as well as teaching, design, professional communication. History and psychology (PEP) and philosophy of literature!
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
“I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.” Kurt Vonnegut.
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I am also a DJ on WRCT Radio!
Gabriel Mendez-Sanders
Chemical Engineering, Scholar Class of 2024-2025
Bio
How did you come to choose CMU?
I wanted to get out of Florida and a chosen family member is an alum from CMU. She told me how cool Pittsburgh was and interdisciplinary the school is. It's also an excellent Chemical Engineering school, and well... definitely not Florida.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
This year I am focusing on developing myself as an educator and educational researcher. Specifically I have focused on preparing myself for a career in Engineering Education Research, and am learning valuable skills in curriculum development, mentoring, and savoring the simple things in life.
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
"Why do we fall, sir? ... So we can learn to pick ourselves back up" - Alfred Pennyworth, Batman Begins
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I once illegally climbed the outside of a SpaceX rocket
Rachel Wilson
Computer Science, Scholar Class of 2024-2025
Bio
How did you come to choose CMU?
I always loved to code, ever since I was introduced in middle school. My high school focused more on liberal arts but I still had amazing math teachers and an inspiring CS teacher. When applying to college, I knew I wanted to study computer science, and felt that my high school had provided a strong foundation of humanities for me to explore CS in a conscientious way.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
s a Fifth Year Scholar I have been able to try so many new things, academically and in my project. I took an acting class, learned to sew, tried a salsa class, took chemistry and was a TA for Ethics and Policy in Computing. In my project, I've learned so much about CS education and how to conduct research.
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
I love to learn, and school is the place where you can dedicate yourself to that. School should be fun, and that's why I wanted to stay as a Fifth Year Scholar.
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I play table tennis semi-seriously, and joined the CMU women's team this year.
Elizabeth Wigington
Physics, Scholar Class of 2024-2025
Bio
How did you come to choose CMU?
Growing up, I always wanted to be a scientist and an artist. However, most people I knew tried to tell me that those subjects were incompatible; I could only be one or the other. CMU’s strong encouragement and endorsement of interdisciplinary interests and students inspired me to apply. I felt that I would meet people who not only thought that being both was possible but were also accomplishing it in ways I hadn’t considered before. I desired both intellectual support and challenge.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
The Fifth Year Program has allowed me to continue pursuing my medical interests. During this time, I have also rediscovered my passion for reading! I’m taking my first literature-focused courses at CMU while also exploring various local and independent bookstores in various Pittsburgh neighborhoods. I am also taking this time to learn Mandarin Chinese and establish new connections between my family history and personal identity.
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
“And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” - Rainer Maria Rilke
What are people surprised to learn about you?
People are surprised to learn that I only started performing theater and improv in college!
Scholar Class of 2025-2026
Sruti Bapatla
Mechanical Engineering, Scholar Class of 2025-2026
Carmen Hagerty
Civil Engineering, Scholar Class of 2025-2026
Bio
How did you come to choose CMU?
I grew up near Pittsburgh and was lucky enough to interact with the CMU community pretty frequently. I was often inspired by the people I met. By coming to CMU, I knew that I would be able to surround myself with interesting people and stay motivated to keep personally growing.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
I love that Fifth Year Scholar allows me to explore my personal interests at CMU. After choosing a major freshman year, it can be hard to find the time to try out other fields while focusing on your own curriculum. I now have a chance to take urban design, fabrication, and psychology classes. I appreciate how my 5th year makes my education feel even more interdisciplinary and that I get an extra year to figure out what I may want to do with my life!
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
Choosing to learn makes it easy to change
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I was missing my front tooth for almost all of my sophomore year
Deya Liao
Computer Science, Film & Visual Media, Scholar Class of 2024-2025
Bio
How did you come to choose CMU?
I chose CMU because of its strength in both its STEM + arts/humanities programs. I was excited to engage in its many interdisciplinary opportunities.
What has the Fifth Year Scholar opportunity allowed you to explore?
I’m hoping that this opportunity will allow me to take additional courses in the Film, English, and/or History department and further explore the technology’s role in today’s society. Through the community engagement project, I also hope to gain more creative experience directing a documentary––and hopefully meet and learn from many different students in the process.
What is a quote that reflects how you think about your education?
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss
What are people surprised to learn about you?
I used to be a nationally ranked badminton player!