EAST & THE WOMEN’S FOUNDATION OF ARKANSAS PROPELLING WOMEN IN STEM

EAST & The Women’s EAST has taught me to be there for my community and be there for others and not just do service for show but make it meaningful. This scholarship allows me to be around people like me, at UCA, who are dedicated to learning and love science.

Foundation of Arkansas Propelling Women in STEM

During the spring of 2020, amidst unpredictable times in our nation, the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas (WFA) connected with EAST and put wheels in motion to establish a scholarship in honor of STEM pioneer and founding member of the foundation, Dr. Mary Lowe Good. WFA and EAST have forged a unique partnership that highlights the importance of mentorship, experience, and exposure for young women in all STEAM fields. These two organizations have established a form of support to combat financial struggles that all too often delay and discourage students from pursuing the higher education needed to achieve their goals.

Out of many applicants, Bailey Doss of Berryville, Arkansas, was chosen as the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Mary Lowe Good Legacy Scholarship. A diverse team of EAST supporters and alumni unanimously selected Bailey, noting that she embodied the same perseverance, creativity, and servant leadership as Dr. Good. Bailey will be a freshman at the University of Central Arkansas this fall, pursuing a STEAM degree in health sciences.

“EAST is thrilled that this scholarship is focused on EAST students and honored to help with managing the scholarship process while honoring Dr. Good’s legacy--she was an EAST supporter from our earliest days,” says member of the internal scholarship committee and program coordinator, Sara Swisher.

Dr. Good was an advocate for quality STEM education on every level and a firm promoter of women in STEM. The goal of WFA is to build on the legacy of Dr. Mary Lowe Good by financially assisting young women looking to make bold strides and advancements in the STEAM field. “It is important to include the A in today’s society,” says WFA Executive Director Anna Beth Gorman, “Dr. Good supported and believed in the holistic experiences that product design and language arts (strong communication) provided young women.”

With this scholarship, Bailey will study and work to achieve her goal of becoming a nurse anesthetist. Bailey shared, “At first I thought I wanted to be a surgeon, but I began volunteering at the hospital and learned more about nursing during high school. After shadowing a few doctors, I thought to myself, ‘maybe I’ll become an MD,’ but my internship solidified that I wanted to be a nurse. They offer medical and emotional support. As a nurse, I can be in on everything that’s going on and still interact with the patients and possibly change someone’s day and help save their life.”

Dr. Mary Lowe Good was a native Arkansan and distinguished chemist, professor, industrial innovator, and government leader whose career provides great inspiration for women in science. Dr. Good was born in Grapevine, Texas, but grew up in Kirby and Willisville, Arkansas. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Physics from the University of Central Arkansas. She then went on to be the first woman in Arkansas to earn her Master of Science degree and Ph.D. in Chemistry and Physics from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.