Story by Logan Jackson
While Olivia Esbeck grew up just south of Houston, Texas, she had a feeling that she would head north when it came time to begin her college journey.
Esbeck has multiple ties to the University of Missouri, including several generations of family members who are alumni. Her grandfather, Carl Esbeck, is also a professor emeritus in the School of Law. However, when it came to choosing Mizzou, her biggest influence wasn’t family; it was the quality of the degree program that fit her interests perfectly – biomedical engineering.
After visiting the College of Engineering, Mizzou became her top choice among universities she applied to. Being awarded the Stamps Scholarship and the additional opportunities it entails solidified her choice. Esbeck is one of eight Stamps Scholars beginning at Mizzou this fall.
“When it came to choosing Mizzou, it was less about being a legacy and more about choosing the place that felt like home, with my family’s support,” said Esbeck, who is from Friendswood, Texas. “Walking onto campus, I loved the architecture and history, but what made me feel most at home were the professors, students and leaders I met who were deeply committed to hands-on learning. There were so many resources available to help students become leaders in their fields. The Stamps Scholarship and the Missouri Way also offer great opportunities to develop my leadership skills and be surrounded by people who are steadfast in what they want to do and in their ability to achieve it. Getting that call from Dean (Catherine) Rymph that I was going to be a Stamps Scholar was one of the most surreal moments of my life, and I am so excited to get started here!”
Mizzou Stamps Scholars have a variety of unique opportunities, including a dedicated mentor, opportunities to connect with campus leadership, alumni networking, funding for study abroad and connections with other students in a larger Stamps Scholarship network. Scholars also participate in research early on in their college journey and are enrolled in the Honors College for all four years, working toward the completion of the Honors Certificate.
Semifinalists who advance to the interview weekend portion of the Stamps Scholarship process have the opportunity to sit in on an Honors course, tour several facilities and interact with faculty. They also get to sit down with current Stamps Scholars to discuss their experiences at Mizzou. It was an experience that provided Esbeck with the confidence that Mizzou was the right place for her.
“The familiarity I had with Mizzou was great, but being able to be on campus as though I was already a student was special, especially interacting with current Stamps Scholars about their research and what it is like being a Scholar at Mizzou,” Esbeck said. “The environment created here is supportive while simultaneously being incredibly ambitious. I was able to sit in on a Humanities Sequence lecture taught by Dr. (Rachel) Harper, and it honestly made me fall in love with the Honors program here.”
When it came to choosing a degree program, Esbeck knew she was going to be in an engineering field; she just had to pick one. Her mother is an aerospace engineer, and while in high school, Esbeck spent time with a rocketry program, where she designed, built and launched rockets in various competitions. Esbeck figured she would go down that path, but her love of medicine and robotics eventually won out. The biomedical engineering degree program will allow her to combine those two interests. Esbeck is also on the pre-medicine track.
“When it comes to biomedical engineering, I’m specifically interested in materials and devices,” Esbeck said. “There’s a personal tie for me, too. Heart problems run in my family, and my mom was diagnosed with a rare heart condition called inappropriate sinus tachycardia with a left bundle branch block. She visited doctors for years, and they finally figured out the exact problem around five years ago. Unfortunately, you can’t trigger the exact stress response to perform surgery to fully fix the issue. I would love to be able to develop a device that could help people who suffer from this and similar issues. The part of engineering that I love is determining a problem and finding solutions in order to solve it, and that’s exactly what I want to do here at Mizzou.”
The Stamps Scholarship will allow Esbeck to get an early start on her research endeavors and begin working toward her goals.
“I wanted to be able to jump in with both feet and learn everything I can about research,” Esbeck said. “I’m excited about getting to start doing research so soon here on campus. This is such a unique opportunity for me, and I am ready for the next step.”