Class Year: 2023
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
What’s your favorite thing about Case Western Reserve University?
The small school atmosphere of the university allows for genuine connections to be made among peers and faculty alike. Running into friends and professors walking around campus makes it feel like we’re all part of a Case [Western Reserve] family.
About Kam
In 2018, Winston Kam, a second-year student majoring in materials science and engineering, was selected to the inaugural class of The Gates Scholarship recipients—one of just 300 then-high school students selected out of 28,700 applicants. This prestigious honor provides full funding for up to five years/10 semesters. Kam plans to use that time to complement his engineering education with minors in pre-architecture, art history and English—areas he hopes to meld together as an architect in the future.
“I believe having a deeper understanding on the science behind the materials used in building structures will allow me to manipulate and juggle with materials traditional architects may have never considered,” said Kam.
Another component of The Gates Scholarship program is access to mentorship. Kam has connected with a mentor who has helped guide him in planning for his future in architecture.
But first, after Case Western Reserve University, Kam hopes to spend two years with Teach for America.