Candace N. Payne

Candancepayne

“At the age of 30 I finally finished my goal of completing an undergraduate degree. After 12 long years since graduating from high school, my determination to complete a degree in Chemistry, despite having to overcome many obstacles, has come to fruition. Finishing my undergraduate degree with an enthusiasm and love for chemical research, brought about by many hours of lab work, has motivated me to work toward a Ph.D. in chemistry.”

  • Program: 2011 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
  • Resides: Washington, DC
  • Hometown: Boca Raton, FL
  • Age: 32

Biography

Profile:  Candace Payne was just seven when she came to the US from her native Trinidad.  After high school in Florida, Candace hoped to eventually go to college . . . but those plans were put on hold for eight years.  During that period Candace worked as a nanny and a clerical worker but she never lost sight of the goal of attending college and majoring in the subject she loved, chemistry.  It was 2007 when Candace came to what she called “the crossroads of my life when I chose to pursue my education full time.”  She performed admirably in the classroom at Palm Beach State College in Boca Raton, then fortune in the form of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation shined on her and she received one of the coveted Undergraduate Transfer Scholarships.  She chose to leave the warm and sunny climate of Florida for Washington, DC and began her studies in chemistry at George Washington University in the shadow of the White House.  It was a difficult transition, but Candace withstood a few early bumps in the road and graduated with honors.  In the fall of 2011, she’ll attend graduate school in Scotland at the University of Aberdeen. Those who know Candace best say there’s a lot more to this exceptional young woman than her love of science and chemistry.  She’s personable, enthusiastic, sincere, and has another wonderful gift, a great sense of humor.

Inspiration: Candace credits her chemical bonding professor and mentor, Dr. David Ramaker, for his guidance in helping her make the right educational decisions “that would affect my career path in life.”  She added she is “grateful for such a patient professor who always had his door open for questions about any concept that I fully did not understand or just to simply talk about my future.”

Aspiration: Her goal is a Ph.D. in chemistry, and eventually “I would like to become a lead researcher and also teach higher education chemistry.”

Making a Difference: Volunteering has always played a big part in this aspiring chemist’s life.  Whether it was working with various organizations helping the homeless and the homebound in Florida, or with her church in Washington, DC, Candace is someone that others look up to, to lead the way.

Accolades: Candace was a constant on the Dean’s List at Palm Beach State College, finished there with a 4.0 GPA and received the school’s Presidential Distinction Award for being the outstanding chemistry student.  She was a Florida Academic First Team Selection and is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society.  While at GWU, Candace also won the Silver Medal in a chemistry symposium sponsored by the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

Interesting Fact: Candace has a lovely voice and as a teenager she dreamed of being an opera singer.  While she still loves the opera and still loves to sing, it’s now the classics that she prefers.

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