Meet Peter Howard, Stamps Scholar

Name: Peter Howard
Hometown: New Orleans, La.
Major: Chemical Engineering
Graduation Year: 2021

Why did you choose to attend LSU?
I chose LSU in large part due to the peace of mind that the Stamps Scholarship provides me and my family. Attending LSU also allows me to receive a high-quality education at a certified research university while still being close to home. 

What extracurricular programs are you involved in?
Currently, I am conducting research on microparticle assembly within the Department of Chemical Engineering under Dr. Bharti. I am a member of the Freshman Leadership Council, our on-campus organization to introduce freshman to the inner workings of Student Government. I am involved in the Outdoors Club which goes on several hiking-based excursions to state parks and wildlife reserves throughout the semester. Lastly, I am an active member of the Musial Theater Club where we cast, rehearse and perform approximately three shows a year. We just wrapped up our fall show and have already started to look forward to our spring production of “Godspell.”

What is your proudest accomplishment at LSU so far, and what goals do you have for the remainder of your time at LSU?
My proudest moment at LSU so far was being selected to be a member of Freshman Leadership Council. In the coming years, I hope to grow more involved with my LSU community potentially through positions within Student Government, as well as to continue to remain engaged with student organizations, possibly through leadership positions in the future. I also hope to continually challenge myself academically by taking honors courses to expand the breadth of my education.

What does receiving the Stamps Scholarship mean to you and your family?
Receiving the Stamps Scholarship means financial security to me and my family, with which no other university or program could compete. It means a peace of mind where I can focus on cultivating relationships and engaging with challenging coursework without the stress of student loans or fee bills that so often hinder the educational success of undergraduates. 

How have you used, or how do you intend to use, your Stamps Scholar enrichment funds?
I intend to use some of my enrichment funds to study abroad with the Ogden Honors College this summer to spend two weeks in Oxford studying Roman and Victorian era literature. Prior experiences have taught me that some of the most genuine appreciations for other cultures come from immersing oneself within them. In this manner, being able to travel with the Honors College and experience firsthand the locations and history that shaped such a critical moment in British literature, as well as to experience the culture it created today, is an invaluable opportunity to me.

How has your enrollment in the Honors College enhanced your LSU experience?
It has allowed me to engage with challenging coursework even outside of my major, which has granted me the opportunity to explore new worldviews and interact with students and faculty in the college in a more personal capacity. The Honors College has given me potential to supplement and expand my education far beyond that which a traditional degree path would provide with courses that both challenge and intrigue me on an intellectual level.

What are your future career aspirations?
I hope to continue my research engagements into graduate level work as I pursue my graduate and PhD. This early on in my work, I cannot be certain as to what advancements I would like to see; however, I would love to see it garner a greater following amongst incoming students and researchers. I hope that through my pursuits I can encourage younger students to become engaged in research and in doing so ensure the hunt for discovery will live on in those I inspire.

What would you say to the donors of LSU, specifically the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation?
Thank you so, so much for your generosity. You have given me a once in a lifetime opportunity to peruse my education worry free, along with the freedom to follow my passions wherever they may lead, and I will not soon forget the kindness you have done to me and my family.

Tell me about a fellow Stamps Scholar, or an Honors College faculty or staff member, who has made a difference at your time here at LSU.
Dr. Arms has been such a shining light to my proverbial darkness. She always knows what to say if I just have a deep burning question I can’t quite tease out. Especially when I was completely lost as to if my new schedule would work for the upcoming semester, she helped me to take a deep breath and evaluate what I needed and what I am capable of at this stage of my education. Oh, and, of course, to convince me to sign up for the Oxford trip, which I did so without hesitation. 

What is your favorite memory as an LSU Stamps Scholar?
I would have to say my favorite memory so far was the first time most of us all gathered at Lucy’s house. The best part about it to me was just getting to hear about and see the vast variety of interests and backgrounds that we represent; we all have our own story to tell. Going around introducing ourselves one by one helped me to finally realize that here was a place where I belonged.

Meet more Stamps Scholars.

 

Originally posted by the LSU Foundation at https://www.lsufoundation.org/s/1585/17/interior.aspx?sid=1585&gid=1&pgid=2757.