I am Abigail Jennifer G, doing my Master’s in Chemistry at Madras Christian College, Chennai, India. I am extremely grateful to SWLC for awarding me the Scranton Graduate Scholarship for the academic year 2020-2021 and for being of great support in my collegiate education.

       A little back story, I was a Scranton undergraduate Scholar in the year 2018, while I was doing my Bachelor’s at WCC, Chennai, India. Getting to know about SWLC, and its vision in supporting women education and empowering women to be fully equipped contributors to the society while being torch carriers for the Word of God, I was keen to apply for the SSLP 2018. SSLP 2018 had given me a chance to know and associate with women leaders and change makers around the world. It had been a wonderful time of learning and fun, but what I brought back with me at the end of SSLP 2018 has made a huge impact in shaping me in both academic and social fronts.

       I joined Madras Christian College, in July 2019. With the grace of God and exuberance I take forward this path, putting to use all my learnings and exposure into practice. MCC gave me quite an exposure at teaching, where a Service-Learning Program (SLP) was conducted to reach out to students from diverse backgrounds including tribal kids. This gave me an opportunity to kindle a spark in the young minds to aim at becoming change makers in the society, while I imparted Science.

In my academic aspect, I am happy to share that I was awarded the “Best Oral Presentation” during a National Conference held at our College, which was also my first attempt at scientific project and its presentation. By the grace of God, I was able to successfully get my manuscript published in one of the leading journals for Chemical Education. 

         The pandemic has indeed curbed all the activities and shifted our mind-sets to get adapted to the “new-normal”. Me and my SSLP friends have been in contact. However, we found the lockdown to have given us a chance to virtually reconnect as “SSLP 2018 Reunion" despite the differences in time zones. We were glad that Ms. Shannon Priddy (President, UMW) one of the resource persons was also a part of the reunion. We were able to come together to have a reflection time as we had in SSLP back in 2018, except that it was a reflection of our lives after 2 years of learning and growing in God’s love. I thank Dr. Hea Sun Kim and Ms. Irene Kwon for giving us the best during our SSLP 2018.


         Our classes for the final year have begun in the virtual mode with all students like us adapting to the tools and increasing our tech. skills. I thank my college (MCC), Principal Dr. Paul Wilson for nominating me for the Scranton Graduate Scholarship and all my mentors for their support in academics and for providing a learning environment that equips me to face a wider world and to create positive impacts with the help of God’s guidance!