Eliza Bliss Taylor Pehkonen
Under normal circumstances, news of Eliza Bliss Taylor Pehkonen’s rare academic achievement would be a reason to celebrate as others in her position would have in past years. The Salt Lake Community College student recently competed with more than 2,000 college students from all over Utah to win the coveted 2020 New Century Pathway Scholar award. Only one student from each state is chosen.
She was “shocked” while doing homework when she received the email telling her she had won. “At first it was a bit unreal and difficult to process, and I just sat and stared,” Pehkonen said. “Then my heart started beating really fast, and I got up and started jumping up and down and cheering.”
Part of the award included going to Maryland with SLCC President Deneece G. Huftalin on March 30 to accept the award at the annual American Association of Community Colleges Convention. There was another scholarship-related event planned in Texas through her involvement in Phi Theta Kappa. Both trips, however, were cancelled due to concerns about spread of the coronavirus. “I recognize that in this time of international crisis, the safety of individuals takes priority over all else,” she said. “I fully support the American Association of Community Colleges and Phi Theta Kappa in their decisions to cancel these events for the preservation of our safety.”
Like students throughout Utah, Pehkonen will have to continue her studies online from home. She plans to complete her associate of science degree in anthropology at SLCC by the end of this summer. Pehkonen’s goal is to work in the field of biological anthropology and study the co-evolution of Homo sapiens and the gray wolf.
Pehkonen credits SLCC associate professor Dr. Melissa Seaboch with helping her win the award and clarify her future academic pursuits. “Professor Seaboch led the study abroad program to Costa Rica that I went on, mentored me in my original research and wrote an outstanding letter of recommendation for this scholarship,” she said. “You would be hard pressed to find a kinder and more knowledgeable person to learn from. Traveling to Costa Rica to conduct research is without a doubt the highlight of my education thus far. I learned so much about myself, other cultures and science while there.”
In her essay for the scholarship application, Pehkonen wrote about observing and collecting data on mantled howler monkeys in their natural habitat. Her plan after SLCC and earning a bachelor’s degree is to pursue a master’s and PhD in biological anthropology. Dream jobs include researching, working in the field or teaching in a classroom. “I want to learn about our Ice Age ancestors and about how humans came to domesticate the wolf into our beloved dog,” she said. “As far as a Plan B, I love art. I would be happy if I could spend my time painting, drawing, dancing, making dolls or writing stories. My interests are quite varied, but ultimately, I just love to learn and create. I want to improve people’s lives and find joy in what I do.”