My name is Kayla Benson and I’m from Evergreen Park, Illinois which is a suburb on the south side of Chicago. Always being excited about math and science (as most engineers are), I felt that engineering as a profession was my future. It was a combination of problem solving and public service that were and still are very important to me. During the college search, it was a struggle to find a prestigious yet affordable school to gain an engineering degree. I was so stuck on the West Coast until Mines, a campus with a perfect blend of culture, nature, and collaboration came into the picture with an invitation to apply to be a Harvey Scholar. Since then, I have fallen in love with the vision of Hugh and Michelle Harvey and the opportunities it has given me to attend a school that will not only offer me a phenomenal education but an everlasting community that will lift each other up. With this amazing scholarship and my fervor for sustainability, an environmental engineering degree seems to be in my future – and I just can’t wait!