Paths with Purpose: Four Scholars Turning Education into Impact
Scholarship Winners: Emily Shapiro, Sa’Leah Adams, Myla Bonin, Summer Huynh
Emily Shapiro
A Calling to Help Rehabilitate Louisiana’s Coastline
Growing up in South Louisiana deeply informed Emily Shapiro’s appreciation for and love of Louisiana’s beautiful, and sometimes fragile, coastline.
She enjoyed spending time as a child with her grandmother, who lived near Bayou Corne, where a massive sinkhole resulted from the collapse of an underground salt cavern, forcing evacuation and affecting the community long-term.
“Growing up in Louisiana, I have seen firsthand how fragile our shoreline is and how much care it needs,” she said. “My heart is with our coast, and I am eager to make a difference by dedicating my education and efforts to the rehabilitation and protection of our coastline.”
A 2023 graduate of St. Michael the Archangel in Baton Rouge, Emily is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in coastal and environmental science at Louisiana State University. “This program gives me the opportunity to stay enrolled, build practical skills, and remain focused on my long-term goals rather than be limited by short-term financial barriers,” she shared. “Education is my pathway to stability, independence and making a lasting impact.”
Emily expressed a profound appreciation for the 431 Exchange’s dedication to “lifting up Louisiana residents through education.”
“This belief in second chances and community-centered support reflects the resilience I see at home,” she explained. “By investing in people, you help strengthen families, careers, and the future of our state.”
Sa’Leah Adams
Blazing a Trail in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry to Create STEM Opportunities for Others
Inspired by those who came before her and “turned obstacles into opportunities” and by the belief that “hard work and creativity can open doors that once seemed closed,” Sa’Leah Adams is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and chemistry at Xavier University in New Orleans.
Sa’Leah explains that the program challenges her to think critically while cultivating practical skills that she can apply beyond the classroom. “I am drawn to the problem-solving aspect of the program and the way it combines creativity, science and real-world impact. The rigorous program has strengthened my discipline, resilience and ability to approach complex challenges with confidence.”
Sa’Leah speaks French and is a 2025 graduate of Elysee Francais de la Nouvelle Orleans, where she had wonderful chemistry teachers who sparked her interest in the subject. She is interested in using her knowledge of chemistry to become a color technologist and making colors, dyes in pigments that can be used in hair coloring. She is also interested in creating products to help maintain hair and help it grow.
“I plan to use this program to my highest good by fully engaging in hands-on learning, research opportunities and professional development experiences that prepare me for a meaningful career,” she says. “The knowledge I gain will allow me to contribute to industries that value innovation, sustainability, and community impact. Beyond personal success, I hope to use my education to uplift others and create opportunities that empower people who may not always see themselves represented in STEM fields.”
What Sa’Leah values most about the 431 Exchange is its commitment to empowering students. “The organization’s belief in education as a tool for change aligns with my goals to grow academically while giving back and creating meaningful impact in my community.”
Myla Bonin
Making a Difference through Encouragement and Connection With Others
As a first-generation college student, Myla Bonin wants to make a difference for people “who aren’t aware of their own potential to make a difference.” For Myla, the path to making a difference will be pursuing a medical degree after she completes her bachelor of science degree in cell and molecular biology from Tulane University in New Orleans.
“I am very interested in the human body and understanding how it works on a cellular level,” she said. “It is so intricately complex that oftentimes it leaves me in awe.”
Myla wants to help people get the healthcare help that they need, and she is minoring in Spanish so that she can communicate and understand Spanish-speaking patients on a deeper level.
A 2024 graduate of New Iberia Senior High School, Myla tutored fellow students and enjoyed seeing the students’ confidence grow as they learned and overcame challenges. She knows the importance of self-belief in confronting the struggles she has faced as a first-generation college student. “Navigating this has been pretty rough,” she shared.
She appreciates that the 431 Exchange is there for all students, not just high school students applying to college. “Pursuing higher education is not easy, especially financially. The 431 Exchange inspires me by realizing that I can make a difference in the world and people celebrate it, no matter my age.”
Summer Huynh
Seeking Equity and Access in Healthcare for the Disadvantaged
Summer Huynh has developed a strong sense of compassion for those in the healthcare system who have difficulty accessing care due to language or cultural barriers or inequities that can exist in the system, and she is working to change that.
A 2024 graduate of Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy in Avondale, Summer is working on a bachelor of science degree in cell and molecular biology, gender and sexuality studies at Tulane University in New Orleans. Through her work on campus, she is well on her way to making a difference, already focusing on breaking down systemic barriers to health equity.
“As an academic, I use an interdisciplinary approach of biology and gender studies to understand how discrimination against various communities looks in various healthcare systems,” she shares. As a service learning assistant in the Center for Public Service, she facilitates dialogues about poverty, homelessness and violence in New Orleans, emphasizing meaningful community service. As a sexual health specialist at Campus Health, she creates inclusive sexual health programming. “Through these experiences, I have learned that healthcare discrimination is deeply ingrained into various aspects of society, while certain communities face disproportionate health disparities that put them in hospitals more often.”
Summer says that as a student who has benefited from scholarships and financial assistance, she appreciates that the 431 Exchange “provides students like me tremendous opportunities to pursue our goals without being limited by our life circumstances.”