2021 Scholarship Winners

A graduate of The Country School and Choate Rosemary Hall, Sarah Platt is a rising senior in the Honors Program at the University of Connecticut, pursuing a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in French with the goal of attending medical school in 2023. While at UConn, Sarah has devoted much of her time to leadership, mentoring, and volunteering, serving as UConn’s French Club president, as a Floor Mentor for her residence hall WiMSE (Women in Math, Science, and Engineering), a Biochemistry tutor, and a volunteer at Windham Hospital, among other roles. Last summer, she established the intergenerational edible gardening program “Sow, Grow, Savor” with the support of a UConn IDEA Grant. The mission of her program is to bridge generational gaps and promote long-term community health of Madison residents and she is looking forward to continuing to grow the program this summer. She is currently carrying out a SURF (summer undergraduate research fund) project for her Honors thesis at UConn Health, studying a protein of the parasite which causes African Sleeping Sickness, and volunteering for the UConn Health Leaders Program. Sarah is an avid runner and reader, and she enjoys fishing on the Sound and Hammonassett in her free time.

Elaina Griffiths, a native of Guilford, Connecticut, has been selected as a 2021 recipient of the AAUW CT Shoreline Branch Scholarship. Elaina is a junior at the University of Saint Joseph where she is majoring in health science. As part of her major, she is in the direct-entry physician assistant program which aims to complete the undergraduate degree portion in just three and a half years. Even in the fast-paced, rigorous environment, she has exceled in her academics holding a 3.96 GPA. At USJ, she is a member of the honors program and the health professions advisory committee. She serves as treasurer of the pre-PA club and is a peer mentor for first year students. Outside of school, she works as an Emergency Medical Technician for both Branford Fire Department and another EMS agency. She has also spent her free time volunteering at hospice. After graduation, she plans to practice medicine as a PA in hospital or flight based critical care. In Elaina’s words, “I look forward to making an impact on the field of medicine in my own unique way. I am honored to be chosen for this award.”