Another Libraries endowed scholarship is awarded

Binita Thapa, a senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering, is the latest recipient of the Lucile Laughinghouse Gabriel Scholarship, a Libraries scholarship for outstanding student workers. Thapa works as a Citation Data Assistant in the Acquisitions & Discovery department at the Libraries.

Thapa has concentrated her studies in the area of regenerative medicine and hopes to work for a pharmaceutical company after she graduates next year. “In my major, I’ve learned about various diseases, how they affect people, and how I can apply biology, chemistry, and physics in order to address health issues that are prevalent in our society,” she says. “An engineer works to design and develop solutions that address a need, and so I hope to develop products for a pharmaceutical company that will help people and improve their quality of life.”

Her Libraries work, which involves managing and enhancing citations for faculty publications, has also addressed a need for Thapa. “Working at the Libraries has given me a very flexible schedule where I can balance a part-time job and save up money as a college student, while also focusing on school,” she says. “This role has also shown me how important it is to support the needs of the NC State community because a supportive and healthy environment helps students to learn and grow.”

Libraries scholarship support has helped Thapa invest fully in her studies as her degree turns decisively toward research and labwork. “Beginning my research experience this semester has showed me that I can use classroom knowledge for real-world applications,” she says. “The research I am doing this semester offers valuable lab experience and useful skills that I can relate to my career goals. I have learned to feel more confident in a lab and have gained a sense of independence and direction when it comes to working on scientific projects.”

Lucile Laughinghouse Gabriel has established the scholarship with a gift for an endowment. The Gabriel family has further supported the Libraries through a contribution to the Libraries Student Resource Fund by Mrs. Gabriel’s daughter Elin Gabriel.

Gabriel has had a life-long love affair with books and libraries. When her children were growing up, she worked tirelessly with the schools to expand the school library selection and with the local community to build a regional public library. Weekly family trips to the library were codified and all her children grew up with a similar love of books and libraries. Even now, in the early days of her tenth decade of life, Mrs. Gabriel continues to read voraciously every day.

This appreciation led Mrs. Gabriel to make this generous gift to the Libraries. She is grateful to all those who work in libraries and understands the importance of scholarships that can help reduce the financial burden of attending college, and she hopes that her gift will encourage future students. “Reading and education are doorways for life,” Mrs. Gabriel says. “I want to support the opening of these doors for our future generations.”