Local student wins prestigious scholarship

BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY) — A local young woman just won one of the most prestigious scholarships in the country. Clarissa Somers is now a Fulbright Scholar!

Somers was born and raised in Bolivia, and attended South Brunswick High School and Brunswick Early College. Now the 21-year-old is graduating from the University of Kentucky.

She’ll be one of the only students without a Master’s degree to take part in Ireland’s food microbiology program.

Somers said she applied while interning on a goat farm in Missouri last May, and never thought she’d win. The scholarship will put her a step ahead in what she wants to do next.

“It takes you more step by step, how to do it, where to start, because I’m not even really sure where to start,” said Somers. “I really need this in order to get a kickstart if I want to research in the future.”

The prestigious scholarship covers her tuition, housing, utilities, and food.