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Written by Samantha Yeh
Damaris Rivera-Santos, a graduate student who will earn a master's degree in chemistry this May, has been awarded a full scholarship to pursue her doctorate degree at the University of Nebraska Lincoln next fall.
In addition to receiving a full scholarship, Rivera-Santos also received a chair's fellowship as well as a travel fellowship to continue her research in organic chemistry.
"I'm so excited," Rivera-Santos said. "Without everything here, I would have never received the offer from Nebraska."
The Puerto Rican native originally ventured to SUNY Oswego as part of the summer Intensive English Program in 2006. The program invites undergraduate, graduate and exchange students to the college to improve their English language skills.
"After I finished my undergrad in Puerto Rico, I wanted to come here for grad school because I knew people here," Rivera-Santos said. "I loved the place and I loved the college."
When she returned in August 2010 for her master's degree, Rivera-Santos was introduced to a new aspect of chemistry that she did not encounter during her studies in Puerto Rico.
"I never did research in Puerto Rico," she said. "I came here and had the opportunity to take classes that I could never have imagined taking before."
Rivera-Santos' research focused on new developments that work to synthesize compounds, which have different medicinal properties. She credited her advisor, Dr. Fehmi Damkaci, for introducing her to the research aspect of chemistry that she had not considered before.
"He really helped me a lot and is always available for anything I need," she said. "He gave me the chance to be part of his research group and everything I know now about research is because he taught it to me."
As an advisor, Damkaci hopes to see all his students succeed in the same way Rivera-Santos has.
"I think we fulfilled her dream with this scholarship," Damkaci said in an email. "I always see finding a placement after working with [my students] as my responsbility. When they get placed in a job or graduate school, I feel I did my job."
Rivera-Santos believes the small size of the chemistry program added to her graduate experience, as it allowed her to have a closer relationship with her professors.
"It's not that big, so they can pay more attention to you," she said. "Since I started they were always available to help me even though I came from a different country and didn't know anything about the college. That's why I like it here."
While serving as a teaching assistant for the undergraduate chemistry classes, Rivera-Santos discovered another passion of hers - teaching.
"Since I started to teach labs, I realized I love it and I love how students learn," she said. "If they don't understand something they can ask me and I like that interaction."
The first taste of teaching as a teaching assistant helped Rivera-Santos make plans for her future.
"I want to pursue a post-doc then go to work in a real lab but after that I want to teach," she said. "I just love teaching and I want to become a professor."
Rivera-Santos will leave for Nebraska one week after graduating with her master's degree on May 12. She is grateful to the college in helping her move forward with her education.
"I'm so thankful to Oswego and the chemistry department for giving me the opportunity to come over here," she said. "They gave me the chance to get my master's and to teach and I am so grateful for that chance."
