Class of 2018: Graffiti Wall

Since 1931, Scripps’ graduating seniors have participated in what has become an essential rite of passage at the College: the signing of Graffiti Wall. Each year, seniors choose a mural design from student-submitted illustrations to paint on the wall, and then the entire graduating class adds its signatures. Graffiti Wall is a visual reminder of Scripps’ history and reflects the changing tastes and attitudes of students over the decades.

Class of 2018: Carmen Abbe ’18: 5C Roller Derby Team Founder Is on a Track to Medical School

Carmen Abbe ’18, a human biology major from Seattle, has balanced her time at Scripps between taking science and humanities courses and playing on the roller derby team she founded as a first-year student. After graduation, she hopes to continue incorporating her passions; Abbe has her sights set on attending medical school, expanding on her thesis research, and engaging with the derby community in Seattle. The 5C Women’s Roller Derby team, which began as a casual club with a few intermittent members, has grown into an official intramural 5C sports team, now 25 members strong. It is one of only four collegiate teams in the U.S. and regularly participates in monthly Inland Empire scrimmages. In 2018, the team attracted enough members to be able to host about against another team from Arizona State University. The event was the first-ever interstate, intercollegiate roller derby match.

Awards and Honors: Erin Matheson ’18 Awarded Davis Projects for Peace Fellowship to Pursue Diabetes Prevention in Chile

Erin Matheson ’18, a biochemistry major from Golden, Colorado, has always had an inclination toward the sciences and public benefit. “All my life, I’ve been inspired by people who have used scientific applications to improve the everyday lives of others,” she says. This summer, funded by a $10,000 grant through Davis Projects for Peace, Matheson will travel to Chile to establish a preventative diabetes program there. Her project, “Community Health: Comprehensive Approaches to Diabetes Prevention in Valparaíso, Chile,” will take a holistic approach to prevention, focusing on nutrition and exercise as well as pre-screenings and medical care.

Spotlight on Students: Tyra Abraham ’18: Scripps Senior Is Running with Her Passion for Storytelling

They say there are two sides to every story, and Tyra Abraham ’18 is no exception. On the one hand, she’s an accomplished student who is pursuing her passion for storytelling by serving as an official photographer for the College. On the other hand, she’s a gifted athlete who has broken numerous records as part of the CMS Athenas Track & Field team.

Spotlight on Students: Kelly Peng ’18, President of Scripps Associated Students

I recently sat down with Kelly Peng ’18, president of Scripps Associated Students (SAS), to find out more about her as well as what issues and initiatives she’ll be focusing on during her tenure. Peng, who is a dual major in biology and Asian American studies from Battle Creek, Michigan, brings extensive experience in Scripps student government to her current position—over the past three years, she’s served on the SAS Senate, as the Class of 2018’s sophomore class president, and as SAS executive vice president.

Research and Internships: Jockabeth Ponce ’19: 3-2 Engineering Major Builds Experience by Exploring Many Paths

Jockabeth Ponce ’19 has always loved solving problems, and as a 3-2 engineering major, she plans on using her grounding in both science and the humanities to do just that. However, Ponce did not always plan on pursuing engineering.

Research and Internships: Nia-Renee Cooper ’18: This Neuroscience Major Is Remaking Recess

This summer, Nia-Renee Cooper ’18  interned at the UCLA Lab School, an innovative school for children ages 4–12 that is part of the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. A neuroscience major, Cooper’s interest is not in children’s education per se, but in neurological processes, diseases, and disorders.

Meet the Scripps College Class of 2021

This week, Scripps welcomes the Class of 2021, whose members began a five-day orientation program that will culminate in the first day of classes, August 29. Scripps’ first-year class is made up of 329 students, the largest entering class in the College’s history. They have won technology innovation, book, and debate awards, to name a few, and boast a wide range of interests as well as an impressive list of precollege accomplishments.

Research and Internships: Siria Medina ’18: Researching Neurobiology in Copenhagen

Biology major Siria Medina ’18 wanted to spend the summer abroad in the hopes that it would help her pursue a Fulbright Fellowship during her senior year. After sending email inquiries to several European laboratories, Medina landed an internship at one of her top choices: Rigshospitalet’s Neurobiology Research Unit in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Research and Internships: Etelle Stephan ’18: Focusing on Fundraising to Ensure Refugee Rights

As a philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) major, Etelle Stephan ’18 sought a summer internship that would combine her academic interests. Her search led her to Asylum Access, a nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California, that works to advance refugee rights in their countries of asylum. Asylum Access’ goal is for refugees to live safely, work freely, and have access to education for their children in order to build a better life.