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Hollie Baptista (’10)
of Chico, Calif., is a chemistry major.
She works in the chemistry stockroom
on campus, where she makes
“unknowns,” solutions that students
analyze to determine the fluids’
chemical makeup. She is also a recipient
of a Smullin Scholarship, which
was set up by media pioneer William B.
Smullin for HSU students from Northern
California and Oregon.
meet humboldt
Discovery “I found something new
in chemistry, a shape that has never
been seen. While doing theoretical
chemistry on the computer, we ran the
stabilities of a molecule. Turns out the
molecule in a certain form does this bending
that hasn’t been seen. We’re writing it
up and submitting it for publication.”
Wearing an heirloom “The coat I’m
wearing is actually my mom’s lab coat from
nursing school. It has pen marks all over it
where I try to put the pen back in my pocket
while wearing my big protective gloves.”
Getting the scholarship “I have been
saving my money since I was around six years
old, and when I got to college I thought I had
plenty. But life seems to cost more at this age
and the money ran out. Without the scholarship,
I would have had to quit, because I had
no way to make that kind of money.”
My mentors “The profs in the chemistry department
have all been mentors in one way or another.
They say things like ‘I really think you should do this
or that with your career.’ In my senior seminar I was
all stressed out and they all gave me positive feedback.
The department here is really warm and fuzzy.”
Not just science “I took an amazing Jazz History
class that expanded my thrill for music beyond
what I thought possible. Now I’m taking History of
Rock and Roll with Howie Kaufman. I love that class.
I’m just sitting there singing along. I collect records
and have almost 200 pieces of vinyl, including all
the Beatles. I sang with a girl-punk-rock band in high
school. I’m a pretty good singer even though I have
no rhythm. I eat up the stage, honestly.”
meet more humboldt students
humboldt.edu/meet