Millard South High School graduate receives $80,000 STEM scholarship from College of Saint Mary

OMAHA, Neb. – College of Saint Mary (CSM) has selected Jacey Zimmerman, a 2025 Millard South High School graduate, as the recipient of an $80,000 Marie Curie Scholarship, which provides support and resources to outstanding women pursuing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors. 

“It means a lot to me to receive this scholarship,” said Zimmerman, who plans to major in human biology and will be a member of the Flames softball team. “Getting this scholarship has helped me out in so many ways and it took a lot of stress off of me and my family when figuring out how to pay for college.” 

Marie Curie Scholars receive tuition support of up to $20,000 each year, up to $80,000 over four years. CSM awarded three Marie Curie Scholarships to recent high school graduates who will begin classes at the College in the fall.  

In addition to Zimmerman, Brennan Beguedou of Omaha and Kayla Briggs of Plattsmouth received the scholarship to pursue STEM majors at CSM, such as biology, chemistry, math or human biology. The Marie Curie program’s goal is to place graduates into STEM graduate schools or careers. 

“Jacey is an extraordinary young woman. As one of her teachers, I have seen many examples of her talent and have long been impressed by her diligence and work ethic,” said Abby Sturgeon, a physical education teacher at Millard South High School.  

Sturgeon said Zimmerman’s exceptional academic performance and involvement in student organizations, such as the National Honor Society, Leo Club and HOSA, is a reflection of her hard work and focus in the classroom. She added that through participation in athletics, Zimmerman demonstrated that she is competitive, hardworking, resilient, accountable, has a positive attitude and can overcome adversity. 

Zimmerman plans to pursue a career as a physician. Her interest in healthcare began after she was in a dirt biking accident that fractured her forearm and broke bones in her hand and three fingers. She was told that she may lose mobility in her hand. But after two years of physical therapy, she was back to playing softball.  

“After having this tragic event happen to me, I was very sure I wanted to go into healthcare to be able to help people the way my doctors helped me,” she said. 

The Marie Curie Scholars program provides an intentional four-year plan for each cohort of scholars that helps participants succeed in their STEM courses. Scholars are invited to participate in peer bonding activities and skill-based courses that help them transition from high school to college. Throughout the program, the students receive free tutoring and faculty mentoring. They participate in skill-based workshops and mentored research and internships.  

Marie Curie Scholars also have access to prestigious research and professional development opportunities provided by the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation, American Association for the Advancement of Science and NASA. Students attend national conferences and present their research findings. 

To prepare for their STEM careers, they attend speaker presentations and networking events with potential employers. 

The Marie Curie Scholarship is funded by a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation.