Kennedy Thompson is heading to the University of Arizona and will major in computer and electrical engineering this fall.
Kennedy Thompson is heading to the University of Arizona and will major in computer and electrical engineering this fall.
Kennedy Thompson, a recent graduate of Casteel High School heading to the University of Arizona, was awarded a National Merit Scholarship.
To receive this scholarship, students must score highly on the PSAT/NMSQT, have a strong academic record, write an essay, take the SAT or ACT and be recommended by a school official.
Thompson plans to major in computer and electrical engineering. She was inspired to pursue this field after joining her high school’s robotics team.
“I didn’t even know that we had a robotics club,” she said. “The reason I joined in the first place was because I was thinking about doing a drone for my engineering capstone.”
She quickly realized how much she enjoyed programming.
“I found such a wonderful community that I hadn’t found anywhere else,” Thompson said. “I really found my people in robotics.”
Her daily school routine included three classes: engineering design and development, AP Literature and AP Physics. After school, she often spent a few hours doing homework at the library, then went home for lunch before heading back to campus for robotics meetings.
She considered many colleges and originally planned to attend Purdue University but said it was too expensive. She applied for several scholarships, writing over 60 essays but ultimately decided that staying in the state was the better financial choice.
“I ended up touring ASU and the U of A campus, and I completely loved the U of A campus,” she said.
During her U of A visit, she toured the engineering buildings and was impressed with the programs offered.
With the National Merit Scholarship covering tuition and additional scholarships helping with other costs, Thompson said attending U of A is “close to free.”
Her passion for engineering began at home because her father is an engineer.
“I’ve grown up just doing a lot of STEM projects, or like STEM competitions … and I feel like engineering is so much more than a career,” Thompson said.
Through Casteel’s CTE engineering program, Thompson narrowed down her focus. After taking a digital electronics class, she said she “fell in love” with circuit design.
Studying for the PSAT was another task she had to complete. Thompson said she prepared for about three weeks, taking several practice tests.
“They give you the PSAT scores back a while before they tell you whether you’re a semifinalist or not,” she said. “I got the scores back, and it was kind of in the range of all the practice tests I was taking, so I kind of expected that I would be a semifinalist.”
Thompson said her electronics teacher, Paul Keith, was one of the individuals she’s inspired by the most. When she asked a question he couldn’t immediately answer during school, he would return the next day with an answer.
“That kind of helped me out. I think that commitment to a student’s education is really inspiring,” she said.
By the end of this year, about $26 million in National Merit Scholarships will be awarded to students across 42 states and the District of Columbia.
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