Kaylin Moss ’21 has received the 2021 Generation Google Scholarship, a Google-sponsored program. She is one of 42 college students nationwide to win the award.
Moss is majoring in computer science with a concentration in software development.
The Generation Google Scholarship was established to help aspiring students pursuing computer science degrees excel in technology and become leaders in the field, according to buildyourfuture.withgoogle.com. Selected students receive $10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or $5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada) for the 2021–2022 school year. The scholarship is awarded based on the strength of each candidate's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, demonstrated leadership, and academic performance.
Moss was also one of two Marist students selected for the inaugural Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program. Moss and Terrence Echols ’21 each received a $1,500 scholarship from Resorts World Casino.
Following a competitive application process, Echols and Moss were selected to enroll in the mentorship program sponsored by Resorts World Casino.
They were two of 10 college students who earned the opportunity to participate in the intensive six-week virtual mentorship program to hear from prominent authors and speakers from all over the nation.
The lecture series is based on Marc Morial’s book The Gumbo Coalition: 10 Leadership Lessons That Help You Inspire, Unite, and Achieve. Students in the program read chapters of the book and participated in virtual discussions with other leaders on the topics and lessons contained in the chapters.
“Throughout history, effective leadership has guided us through the most challenging times,” said Michelle Stoddart, vice president of community development at Resorts World New York. “Now more than ever, a new generation of students must be equipped to lead boldly in the face of the medical, political, and environmental challenges we face as a country. By teaming up with the renowned civic leader and former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial, Resorts World is proud to present the Gumbo Coalition University, a virtual platform that will shape the leaders of tomorrow.”
Morial, who was mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002, is president and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization.
Both Marist students learned about the Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program from Desmond Murray, associate director for the employer experience in the Marist College Center for Career Services. Their applications included an essay discussing their professional experience and career-related goals. Candidates who advanced to the next round were invited to meet virtually with the program’s speakers and talk about what leadership meant to them.
Echols majored in communications with a concentration in public relations/advertising and has already begun graduate work in Marist’s five-year dual degree program in integrated marketing communication.
He was a student-athlete on the men’s basketball team and a senior researcher in Marist’s chapter of the American Advertising Federation. As an AAF member, he wrote copy and helped prepare presentations with his group for the National Student Advertising Competition.
“Collaborating with everyone using online platforms like Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Meet has really helped me get comfortable having meaningful conversations in a virtual environment,” Echols said.
He mentioned how joining the Marist Radio Club as a freshman inspired him to create his own podcast, which has helped him articulate his thoughts and ideas on a variety of topics. This summer he is interning with Galaxy Media, a multidimensional media company that services clients in Syracuse, NY. He has thought about owning his own advertising agency one day but definitely aspires to a leadership role in marketing or public relations. He said participating in the Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program aligned with these goals.
“I’m learning how I can be someone who others look to for guidance, and that’s inspiring.”
Moss participated in the Marist/IBM Joint Study program for one year and completed a virtual internship with IBM in the summer of 2020.
“The joint study exposed me to a lot of public speaking roles and presentations,” she said. “So I felt like I had a lot to draw on from that experience when applying for the (Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship) program.”
In October 2020 Moss founded a chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at Marist. The honor society’s main goal is to create an inclusive community for Black students and other students who are interested in pursuing opportunities in technology, engineering, and other sciences.
In addition, Moss was recently named the winner of the health technology company Zillion’s Women in STEM Scholarship. She was chosen for her commitment to learning, perseverance, and advocacy for women in science.
Moss sees computer science as an industry where she can hone her artistic talents.
“In my career, I want to focus on things like software development, web design, user interfaces, and anything else that creates new digital experiences.”