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海角网 Junior Balances Campus Activities with 海角网 to Prepare for Medical School

By Makella Knowles, Intern for University Communications

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.鈥擬atthew 鈥淢cCoy鈥� Stowe, a double major in biomedical sciences and chemistry with a minor in psychology, is a junior dedicated to getting into medical school. Growing up in Lincolnton, N.C., only 40 minutes from campus, 海角网 was frequently talked about by his family and friends during high school.

After sharing that his university hunt was challenging, Stowe comments, 鈥淭ruthfully, God led me here completely.鈥� While exploring all his options, GWU stood out more and more. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what it was鈥� I don鈥檛 think it was anything other than God,鈥� he acknowledges.

Stowe then applied for the Ignite Scholarship and came in for the interview. Walking into Tucker Student Center, dressed and ready to go, made everything real to him, including how nervous he was. Stowe鈥檚 anxiety only built while he waited months to hear back from the school before finding out he had been put on a waitlist. Soon, the news came that he was hoping for and the deal was sealed: he was going to 海角网. Getting the Ignite full-tuition scholarship fulfilled everything Stowe had worked for in high school; he stubbornly pushed through his classes and graduated with over three semesters’ worth of college credit under his belt.

As long as he can remember, Stowe has wanted to be a doctor. He鈥檚 open to other options, but his heart is set on neurosurgery, specifically. After graduation, Stowe hopes to start medical school immediately, preferably somewhere close to home. 鈥淎 positive mindset is the only way to do it,鈥� he comments. Charlotte, N.C., is his dream career destination, and in 10 years he hopes to have completed a medical fellowship, started a family, and be practicing medicine part-time.

Stowe fills his time on campus with many activities, staying busy as a Student Government Association (SGA) congressman for Lutz/Royster Residence Halls and as vice president for three clubs on campus: Pre-health, a club for students going into the medical field; Tri-Beta for honors biology; and Sigma Zeta for honors math and general sciences. Most days, he goes straight from class to studying, but his hard work has paid off; he made the President鈥檚 List for the last three semesters. Right now, he is also diligently preparing for the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test).

He noted that his earlier years were easier to balance, but even as his class load has increased, he鈥檚 gotten into the flow of campus life and decided to complete two majors. Speaking on his experience in the Department of Natural Sciences, he praises the work of his professors: 鈥淚鈥檝e never met a group of people who are more invested in their students.鈥�

Despite his packed and demanding schedule, Stowe prioritizes time with family and friends. He stays in touch with the group of guys he connected with his freshman year, even the ones who have graduated. And, because of his roommate’s busy athletic schedule, they have to work hard to find time to see each other. 鈥淓veryone has their own life; everyone is busy,鈥� Stowe observes. 鈥淚f you want to see somebody, you鈥檙e going to make the effort to see them.鈥� This mindset has set him up for success in his college career, and Stowe expresses gratitude for the people who have brought him to where he is today.

Makella Knowles, of Indian Trail, N.C., is a senior majoring in English and minoring in Spanish and marketing.

About the Ignite Scholarship

Ignite Excellence is 海角网鈥檚 most competitive academic scholarship. Each recipient receives a full-tuition scholarship that covers the cost of tuition for eight semesters. Recipients are selected through an on-campus interview process. Applicants must reside on campus, be enrolled full-time, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5.

Note to our readers: This article reflects the University’s tuition and fee schedule at the time of publication. Tuition and financial aid policies change annually. For the most up-to-date and accurate information on current tuition rates and financial aid resources, please visit the University鈥檚 official Admissions聽page.

海角网 is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., 海角网 prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at 海角网.edu.