Catch up with a Libraries student scholarship awardee: Tierra Williamson

The NC State University Libraries awards a number of part-scholarships every year to our outstanding Libraries student workers as part of a concerted effort to support student success and affordability. Since 2018, we've awarded 60 scholarships of varying amounts to 37 students. For the academic year 2023–24, philanthropic support for the Libraries Student Scholarship Fund has allowed us to support 18 of our talented students with scholarship support worth $67,760 in total. This profile is one in a series that lets our scholarship winners tell their stories.

Tierra Williamson is a senior Meteorology major who works as a student assistant at the Design Library. She is also minoring in Mathematics and plans to pursue an advanced degree in applied mathematics. After learning more about dynamic tropical weather systems while working as an Operational Meteorologist for Early Alert, she hopes to use mathematical analysis and modeling to better predict and understand tropical weather events such as cyclones.

What are your hobbies and activities outside of school?
Some of my favorite activities outside of school include running, reading, cooking, hanging out with my cats and going to concerts and movies with friends as well as spending time with my family. My favorite meal to eat is any kind of soup, specifically pho. 

Why did you choose to work at the Libraries? What roles have libraries played in your life in general?
I chose to work at the Libraries because I have always felt that libraries serve as a sort of safe space for individuals to learn, grow and connect with each other. Libraries are dynamic spaces where I have been able to foster my education, support individuals on their intellectual journeys and maintain a haven of information for the Wolfpack community. 

What do you hope to do after you graduate?
After graduation, I plan on trying to find full-time employment at a weather forecast office or in data analytics after getting my M.S. in Atmospheric Science. In five years, I hope to be working a fulfilling, well-paying job in my field using mathematical and computational models to forecast the weather.

How will a Libraries scholarship help you on your educational/personal path? Is there anything specific that the scholarship will enable or help you to do?
I think the main expense that my friends and I find challenging is the cost of tuition and education, in general. Many of us have had to take out loans and pick up jobs just to afford to come to school here, and we still struggle and have to work hard to afford food, utilities and even rent. 

Learn more about the Libraries Student Scholarship Endowment here, and donate directly here.