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Hannah Sandeen

Student Spotlight: Hannah Sandeen

By El Camino College September 22, 2021 Torrance, CA

Edison STEM Scholar and 2019 El Camino College graduate Hannah Sandeen will transfer to USC in the fall as a chemical engineering major with an emphasis in sustainable energy. For the fourth consecutive summer, she worked as an intern at Carver Scientific, Inc., based at Louisiana State University. In this position, she assisted a chemical research lab physicist with researching, testing, and producing energy-storage devices.

Sandeen said the scholarship from Edison International will help her focus on her studies by taking financial pressure off her and her family.

"Being a recipient of the Edison scholarship is a great honor because not only does it continue to motivate and support me with my education goals, but it also shows that I am on the right path toward my dream career,"" added Sandeen, who was an active member of ECC's Honors Transfer Program, the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society (as club president), and the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program.

"At El Camino College, I had a lot of flexibility with my classes, and I was able to build a community on campus through MESA and Alpha Gamma Sigma,"" she said. "I also was pushed to excel academically as a member of the HTP.""

In addition to the scholarship from Edison International, Sandeen received the Alpha Gamma Sigma Scholarship for the past two years, the Inter-Club Council Leadership Scholarship, and the Honors Transfer Program Scholarship. These scholarships, along with ECC's low fees of only $46 per unit, have been important to her goals of becoming financially independent.

Overall, she said that El Camino College provided a great transition from high school to college coursework.

"The smaller class sizes really helped me connect to the school and stay motivated throughout the semester,"" she added. "El Camino College allowed me to reflect on what I wanted to study and what university I wanted to attend. I am very excited for my future, and I wouldn't feel as confident or prepared as I do without the opportunity and support El Camino College has provided to me over the years.""