KAMERYN OVERTON

"The beauty of this foundation lies in the rich community that the family has fostered. Being surrounded by a diverse network of ambitious scholars and family members encourages and motivates me to strive for my best."

Kameryn Overton

College:
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, AL

Major:

Environmental Science

High School:

Northeast Magnet School, 2020
Wichita, KS

Activities and Interests:

Kameryn Overton was born and raised in Wichita and grew up with her sister Mikayla and parents Troy and Michelle.

Kameryn currently attends Tuskegee University and is pursuing an Bachelor of Science in Environmental, Natural Resource and Plant Sciences with hopes to pursue a biology or bioethics minor. While she is not certain of a specific job, she is sure that she wants her career to handle topics like sustainability, environmental health, and environmental justice.

Her sophomore year she participated in a project with a graduate student in Tuskegee’s water lab. There she worked for the whole semester collecting water samples collected from three elementary schools in the county and testing them for contaminants. This project was important as no water testing was done in the schools and because of the age of the buildings there was a possibility that they still had lead piping. This project was the first to spark Kameryn’s interest in environmental justice.

During the summer of 2022 Kameryn participated in a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Texas at Austin in Inclusive Student Training in Rapidly Urbanizing Climate-sensitive Terrains (InSTRUCT). Working under Dr. Patrick Bixler, Dr. Eric Mcdaniel, and with a research partner, she created a comprehensive project that aimed to understand and address resilience in Austin from different lenses but also from the perspective of marginalized communities. During her time she was able to collaborate with the City of Austin Office of Sustainability, the community group Go Austin Vamos Austin, and also three church leaders in the Austin area. This opportunity helped her to see how a progressive city is connecting disciplines in order to build a more resilient city starting with the communities that need it most.

After graduation Kameryn knows she wants to attend graduate school, but is currently unsure of what programs she wants to apply to. She hopes to continue to learn more about her field and participate in more amazing opportunities.