ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – A recent Winthrop University graduate, Lily Garcia ‘22, has been awarded an $8,500 fellowship from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi to continue her education at North Carolina State University.
The Columbia, South Carolina, resident is one of 62 recipients nationwide to receive a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship and one of three students from South Carolina institutions. The society is the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
Garcia finished her bachelor's degree in biology and minor in chemistry in May and will start this fall pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
“My inspiration for attending veterinary school is to be able to bridge the gap between animal care and awareness,” Garcia said. “I want to serve as a voice for those who don’t have one and to be able to better the field of veterinary medicine. Ultimately, my goal is to pursue veterinary academia so that I can continue to educate and inspire future veterinarians.
She said she owes much to her Winthrop experience, particularly the relationships she gained with faculty and staff. During her time at Winthrop, she realized that teaching was the career she wanted to pursue after learning under the direction of such fantastic educators. “My faculty mentors at Winthrop helped me gain a way into the veterinary field to pursue real-world experiences, network with veterinarians, start the first Winthrop University pre-veterinary club and gain valuable research experience!” Garcia said.
She is grateful to receive a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship. Since its creation in 1932, the Fellowship Program has become one of the society's most visible and financially well-supported endeavors, allocating $649,000 annually to outstanding students for first-year graduate or professional study.
The selection process for a fellowship is based on the applicant's evidence of graduate potential, undergraduate academic achievement, service and leadership experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement of educational perspective and career goals, and acceptance in an approved graduate or professional program.
Check here to see the complete list of 2022 Phi Kappa Phi Fellows.
About Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi inducts approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni annually. The society has chapters on more than 325 select colleges and universities in the United States, it territories and the Philippines. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. Faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction also qualify. The society's mission is "To recognize and advance excellence in all fields of higher education and society and engage the community of scholars in service to others."
For more information, visit www.phikappaphi.org.
