USD Magazine Fall 2021

BARBARA FERGUSON

[ b i g h e a r t e d ]

hen Erin Alex Full- inwider ’05 (BS/BA) graduated from the W P A Y I N G I T F O R W A R D Alumni support namesake scholarships for future Toreros by Elena Gomez

friends and I wanted to give back a little bit. And I wanted to sup- port the computer science pro- gram specifically,” says Spencer McDonald ’18 (BA), who earned his degree in computer science. One of the highlights of Mc- Donald’s USD experience was studying abroad in China during his first year, alongside other computer science students. It’s a trip that has inspired him to start a scholarship program for computer science and engi- neering students who are plan- ning to study abroad. “It was probably one of the coolest, neatest experiences that I’ve had,” he says. “The culture and lifestyle within China is so different than anything I’d experienced traveling other places or anywhere in the U.S. I think that’s what got me to

now be a part of other people’s experience — especially women in engineering — feels really awesome,” she says. Faith Osei-Tutu (pictured) is one of the first recipients of the scholarship. The industrial and systems engineering third-year student says this extra financial support is allowing her to put her “best foot forward.” As Osei-Tutu continues her educational journey, she, like Fullinwider, is inspired to sup- port other women to get into the STEM (science, technology,

engineering, math) industry. “I’m the secretary for the National Society of Black Engineers. A big role for me next semester is to try to do outreach to high schools and middle schools for other black women to know they have an opportunity in the STEM field, because some people don’t think it’s an option,” says Osei-Tutu. The quest to share opportuni- ties with those who come after them is a common theme. “I enjoyed my experience at USD. I loved it. I made a lot of great

University of San Diego’s electri- cal engineering department, she was one of three women studying in the program. But that wasn’t a deterrent for her. In fact, today she’s encouraging other women to get into engineering as the founder of a new namesake scholarship for female engineer- ing students, dubbed the Erin Alex Fullinwider Scholarship. “I had such an amazing experience at USD, and to

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