“I wanted to be an obstetrician, but in 11th grade after Hurricane Irma, I went into a deep state of depression. I lost motivation to do anything, and it skewed my view on college and my future,” said Grant. “When it came time to apply to colleges and explore future endeavors, I just wasn't motivated.”
Recognizing the challenges her daughter
was facing and not wanting her to give up on her dream, Grant’s mother
delivered an ultimatum: she could either stay at home with her in St. Croix and
find a job or go to college. Grant chose to attend UVI, after applying as part
of her high school’s requirement, and ultimately embarked on a journey that
would lead to profound growth, exploration, and a new sense of community.
In her freshman year, Grant immersed
herself in pre-med courses after choosing biology as her field of study. During
her first semester at UVI, she took a chemistry class that made a deep impression
and opened a path for a new direction in her life.
“I started as a biology major. I was
doing pre-med, but I found a love of chemistry when I took my first chemistry
class at UVI, so I switched my major,” said Grant.
Grant started to dive into her
experiences at UVI, joining the National Society of Black Physicists on campus.
“I got involved with the physics program
because I was in the National Society of Black Physicists on campus, and we
were doing a community outreach session where we went up to Etelman Observatory
and looked at the stars to discuss the physics concepts with various
individuals,” Grant recalls. “And I was like, you know what? I want to be a
part of things like this. So, I added physics to my degree program.”
While things were progressing positively
on the academic front, the end of a significant personal relationship in 2021
left Grant feeling lost and in the throes of depression.
“To distract myself from dwelling on the
breakup and on being depressed, I started exploring extracurricular activities
for the first time,” she recollects.
Becoming deeply involved in a variety of
academic and leadership activities provided fulfillment and the sense of
belonging she had been seeking.
Grant’s interest in astronomy stemmed
from her fascination with the night sky and shifted towards engineering as a
result of her involvement in a research project with NASA.
Grant worked with her mentor, professor
of physics and astronomy, Dr. David C. Morris, on a NASA project involving a
high-altitude balloon carrying a satellite payload. The project aimed to detect
gamma radiation from the Crab Nebula supernova, a massive star that exploded
hundreds of years ago and continues to emit X-rays.
Grant defines her time on the project as
an extraordinary experience that sparked her interest in design engineering.
“It's been a pretty amazing experience for me,” she said. “I want to shout out the physics department in general for all the opportunities that they gave me. They were a major part of my decision to go into engineering.”
During her time at the University, Grant
was elected President of the Student Government Association, served as Miss
UVI, joined the National Society of Black Physicists, and was President of the
Society of Women Engineers.
Grant is grateful for her experiences at
UVI, especially the professors, mentors, and staff around campus such as cafe
workers and custodial staff members who helped her to develop a spirit of
resilience and purpose, and allowed her to thrive academically, personally, and
socially.
“I would not have grown and been as
comfortable with myself and as sure about what I want out of life if I did not
go to UVI,” she declared.
