For many students, NOVA episodes became the after-school companion to the science education they received during the day. GBH has cultivated curiosity, wonder, and an appreciation for the sciences in generations of kids, and is deepening its commitment to science education with the 2025 Paula S. Apsell GBH STEM Boston Public Schools Scholarship program.
Named for Apsell, the senior executive producer emerita of the science series NOVA, which is produced by GBH and watched nationally on PBS, the scholarship was launched in 2020 and is endowed for 10 years. Every year, it makes a profound impact on the lives of Boston Public High School seniors who plan to study and work in the fields of STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The scholarship provides each recipient with just over $2,000, helping to fund their first semester of post-secondary education.
This year, 17 Boston Public School (BPS) graduates received scholarships (totaling $35,000) to support their STEM education in fields as varied as optometry, neurosurgery, mathematics, engineering, and more. A common thread through all of the recipients, however, is a desire to impact change in service to their communities and the wider world.
“The Paula S. Apsell GBH STEM Boston Public Schools Scholarship is a direct reflection of GBH’s unwavering commitment to our community’s ongoing educational vitality. I have no doubt these 17 incredible Boston Public School graduates will continue to make our city and organization proud as they begin to launch their professional careers, driving positive change in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math,” says Sandra López Burke, GBH’s Managing Director of Community and Government Relations.
Meet the Scholars
Mamadou Barry
High School: Boston Adult Technical Academy
Attending: Bunker Hill Community College
“Thanks to this scholarship, I was able to fund my fall semester at Bunker Hill Community College, where I am studying electrical engineering. I hope to build a strong foundation in this field and will use my knowledge to contribute to new innovations and help my community.”
Kiyah Buncome
High School: John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Attending: Middlebury College
“I’ll be using the GBH STEM Scholarship to help pay for my freshman year of college. I then plan on transferring to a more affordable institution, so I can be in the best financial position to attend optometry school after undergrad. In the next eight years, I hope to become bilingual, reach greater academic peaks, and be of service to various communities.”
Andy Munoz Cajina
High School: Charlestown High School
Attending: College of the Holy Cross
“Thanks to the assistance of this scholarship, my hope is that I will receive a focused and quality education thanks to a decreased financial burden and go on to become a mechanical engineer and help improve the infrastructure of Boston.”
Emely Echavarria
High School: New Mission High School
Attending: Northeastern University
“With the assistance of this scholarship, I hope to be able to afford the next school year and/or use it to afford another school in the future!”
Lisely Garcia
High School: Josiah Quincy Upper School
Attending: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
“This scholarship has been a remarkable investment in my educational goals of becoming a healthcare professional. In the future, I plan on using my education to give back to my community by creating programs that deliver crucial health information and safe resources. I hope to inspire young people to view healthcare careers as attainable goals rather than unachievable dreams.”
Caroline Hubbard
High School: Boston Latin School
Attending: College of the Holy Cross
Benjamin Jacobson
High School: Boston Latin School
Attending: Cornell University
“With the support of the Paula Apsell/GBH STEM Scholarship, I’m ready to study mathematics at Cornell and work as hard as I can. I think a STEM scholarship is especially meaningful because STEM promotes the future, and I believe the world will always need people who are strong in math.”
Dominic Jorge
High School: Boston Latin Academy
Attending: UMass Amherst
Amland Kissi
High School: Snowden International School
Attending: Northeastern University
Tammy Le
High School: Boston Latin Academy
Attending: Northeastern University
Vicky Liang
High School: Boston Latin Academy
Attending: Amherst College
Shayla Nguyen
High School: Boston Latin School
Attending: Northeastern University
Funmilayo Ogungbemi
High School: John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Attending: Boston University
“I am so thankful for being granted the GBH Scholarship for my freshman year at Boston University. I plan to study Health Sciences as an undergraduate, and then I will further my education by going to Physician Assistant school or nursing school.”
Tai Vinh Phuoc Phan
High School: Boston Adult Technical Academy
Attending: UMass Boston
Joseph Puopolo
High School: East Boston High School
Attending: UMass Lowell
“I am grateful to have been chosen for a GBH STEM scholarship. In just a few short weeks, I will begin college at UMass Lowell, studying Biomedical Sciences, premed track. I hope to fulfill my dream of becoming a Neurosurgeon. Thanks to the generosity of GBH, the scholarship will help find my education and fulfillment of my dream.”
Caroline Song
High School: Boston Latin School
Attending: Harvard University
“I’m so honored to receive and grateful to receive the Paula Apsell/GBH STEM scholarship, as it has helped alleviate tuition and living expenses as I prepare for college life, and has supported my dream to pursue higher education to go into academia. I hope to conduct chemistry- and biology-based research, especially with an environmental justice focus. I am also exploring the possibility of pre-med or working in education. I’m excited to be attending Harvard College this semester and hope to use my education to make a positive difference!”
Sofia Taborda
High School: John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Attending: Columbia University
