Rachel Schenck, an Honors College senior majoring in materials science and mechanical engineering, has been nominated by Michigan State University for two of the country’s most prestigious international honors: the Rhodes Scholarship and the Marshall Scholarship.
I am honored to have been nominated by MSU for the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships and extremely excited about the possible opportunities for my future. They offer a unique experience and the chance to explore the culture of the United Kingdom (UK) while funding my graduate education at one of the top schools of the UK.
The Rhodes Scholarship is a highly distinguished merit-based scholarship established in 1903. Thirty-two outstanding young people from around the world are selected to study as Rhodes Scholars at the University of Oxford each year. The 2025 scholars will be announced on Saturday, Nov. 23. MSU has produced 20 Rhodes Scholars.
The Marshall Scholarship provides graduate studies for around 50 outstanding undergraduates to study at any university in the UK. The program aims to strengthen the country’s relationship with the UK by fostering an understanding of British society and its role in the world. The 2025 Marshall Scholars will be announced in early December. MSU has produced 20 Marshall Scholars to date.
If I am selected, I plan to earn a Ph.D. in materials science, with a focus on additive manufacturing. Materials science is a field dedicated to improving the properties of metals, ceramics, and polymers and the way they are processed. Additive manufacturing is a specific production technique that builds parts layer by layer, allowing for high complexity, rapid prototyping, and cost-effective part creation.
My career goal is to do research in the additive manufacturing field, learning the skills that will culminate in founding a successful aerospace company. Additive manufacturing offers great potential in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical fields, and this Ph.D. will provide the cutting-edge knowledge to help make this goal achievable.
Choosing MSU was the best decision of my life. The friends I met, the organizations I discovered, and the opportunities offered are unparalleled. A few opportunities include the ability to hold an executive board position in three clubs, become an undergraduate learning assistant, and conduct research through the professorial assistant program.
I held amazing internships every summer since freshman year through the networking opportunities offered by the career fairs and professional clubs. I am the co-mechanical director of the Solar Racing Team, vice president of Tau Beta Pi, treasurer of the Materials Science and Engineering Society, mentor for Women in Engineering, and active player for the water polo club.
These clubs have taught me valuable lessons about teamwork, leadership, and design, connected me with life-long friends, and contributed to my amazing experience at MSU. The professors and faculty are fantastic, taking the time to answer questions outside of class, writing letters of recommendation, and offering advice and assistance.
I loved the faculty-student ratio in materials science, with class sizes under 20 students, and the diversity of knowledge offered by mechanical engineering. I want to thank all my professors for creating exciting classes, for their good advice, and for all the time they put into helping their students.
I remain grateful for the opportunity that the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship has provided. MSU is an amazing university, full of opportunity, and driven by faculty who are passionate about their students' success. No matter where my future takes me, my Spartan experience will always be held in the highest regard.
This story originally appeared on the College of Engineering website.
