University of Missouri–St. Louis senior Sophie Steinmetz, a dual major in actuarial science and data science and analysis who played back on the women’s soccer team, speaks to members of the 1963 Society at a luncheon last Thursday in the atrium of the St. Louis Mercantile Library.
The luncheon served as an opportunity to thank UMSL supporters who’ve invested in the university and its future through legacy and estate gifts. Attendees had a chance to hear from Steinmetz about the impact that support can have on a student’s experience.
Senior Sophie Steinmetz and Chancellor Kristin Sobolik both expressed thanks to members of the 1963 Society for their philanthropic support during a March 19 luncheon in the St. Louis Mercantile Library.
“Like many students, I had big goals,” said Steinmetz, who came to UMSL after graduating from Parkway South High School. “I wanted to study a challenging field, I wanted to keep playing soccer, and I wanted to graduate ready for a strong career. But as college acceptance letters started coming in, so did the financial realities. Every option came with a different number attached to it – tuition, scholarships, loans, years of repayment. And suddenly the question wasn’t just ‘Where do I want to go to college?’ It was, ‘What opportunities will I still have after I graduate?'”
“For many students, that calculation means compromising something — the major they choose, the activities they participate in, or the amount of debt they carry into adulthood. For me, donor-supported scholarships changed that equation.”
Not only is Steinmetz completing her degree in three years, debt-free, with a 3.99 GPA. She will also be stepping immediately into an internship at Willis Towers Watson, an opportunity she said she could pursue because she had the freedom to focus on career development rather than financial pressures.
“What I’ve come to realize during my time at UMSL is that scholarships are about much more than financial support,” Steinmetz said. “They represent belief, belief in students and in the future we are working toward. Knowing that someone chose to invest in my education has been incredibly motivating. It reminds me that my success is not just my own, but something made possible by the generosity of others.”
This photograph was taken by UMSL photographer Derik Holtmann and is the latest to be featured in Eye on UMSL. View more UMSL photos by visiting the UMSL Flickr and Instagram accounts.
To learn more about The 1963 Society or how you might become a member, please contact legacygift@umsl.edu.
