Contact: Kristin K. Anderson, University Relations, (517) 353-8819, ander284@msu.edu
12/6/2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. � Katie Imhof of Burton, Ohio, has a desire to make an impact on society through science.
She will have an opportunity to better understand the possibilities and raise awareness of threats of biological warfare through a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) scholarship. The award is offered by the Science and Technology Directorate within the DHS and is administered by Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).
The undergraduate scholarship includes full tuition and fees, a $1,000 monthly stipend for nine months and $500 weekly for a summer internship at a DHS-designated facility in the summer between the student�s junior and senior years.
Imhof, daughter of Lee and Kathleen Imhof, is a junior at Michigan State University, where she is majoring in microbiology with a concentration in genomics and molecular genetics in the Lyman Briggs School of Science in the College of Natural Science. A member of the MSU Honors College, Imhof is a 2002 graduate of Berkshire High School.
�This scholarship, plus the opportunity for a 10-week internship in one of the federal agencies or laboratories, is an amazing opportunity,� Imhof said. �I want to go to medical school after I finish my degree at MSU and this, along with other education opportunities, will open the doors to helping me develop my cultural and social awareness as well as my skills in the sciences.�
Imhof believes that the strength of the United States lies within its people.
�So many different cultures and ethnic groups have merged together throughout our country�s history, all of whom consider themselves American,� writes Imhof in her application essay. �In order to preserve this ideal, and for the leaders to step forward in times of such turmoil, it is necessary to protect the people of the country.�
At some point in her career Imhof, who at one time had aspirations of becoming a veterinarian, would like to conduct clinical research dealing with microbiology, and specifically the infectious diseases prevalent in distressed populations.
�I think it�s really important to focus on health issues within the United States and also abroad, particularly in areas prone to terrorist attack,� she said.
Imhof is currently a member of the Undergraduate Bioethics Society at MSU and serves as a hospice volunteer. She spent May-June 2004 in a study abroad program in Panama. For three years she served as a technician�s assistant at the Equine Specialty Hospital in Mantua, Ohio, where she assisted veterinarians with procedures, X-rays, lab work and related assignments. A competitive horseback rider, she was an officer in the Juniors Leaders 4-H Club.
The Homeland Security Scholarship and Fellowship program is coordinated for the DHS science and technology directorate by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), a U.S. Department of Energy facility focusing on scientific initiatives and educational programs.
For more information on the Homeland Security Scholarship and Fellowship Program, visit the Web at www.orau.gov/dhsed