Sophia Chiaia

Biology Major at Western Connecticut State University

Sophia is a 2020 Open Rivers Scholarship recipient going into her freshman year at Western Connecticut State University, where she intends to study biology. She is a member of the University’s Kathwari Honors Program, which was founded to foster and nurture both academic and civic excellence among students. 

Sophia is looking forward to beginning her classes in the fall and getting a chance to learn new things while also working with other women in STEM. She plans to get a job on campus and participate in community service opportunities to fully immerse herself in the WestConn community. She also hopes to continue with art, after participating in Bethel High School’s art magazine ‘Mirage’. Sophia enjoys painting, ceramics, and writing, specifically poetry. 

In an effort to make an impact on the world (or leave less of it), Sophia is very conscious about her carbon footprint. She reduces her impact by carpooling or walking, buying used items, taking short showers, following a vegetarian diet and living a minimalist lifestyle. She also gardens and composts her food! 

We recently caught up with Sophia to chat about her plans for the school year and how she’s feeling about starting college in a pandemic. You can read the full article here: Conversations with our 2020 scholarship recipients or find it in the Open Rivers journal.