$50,000 In Scholarships Will Help Douglasville Student Be A Doc

DOUGLASVILLE, GA -- Douglasville's own Emily Austin hopes to take the $50,000 she's been awarded recently by the Taco Bell Foundation and to give back the state of Georgia by using her "adrenaline junkie core" to "have a big impact on people."

"I grew up a competitive gymnast here in Douglasville until about age 15 and I attribute a lot of my work ethic, discipline, and drive to those early years training in the gym," she said. "Initially, I think I was interested in medicine because it seemed like such an exciting field – the blood, guts, and gore of it all seemed in alignment with my adrenaline junkie core. Every day in a doctor’s life just seemed so interesting and different and the versatility of the profession attracted me."

Austin was awarded $25,000 last year, and her renewal scholarship this year, brought her total awards from the Taco Bell Foundation to $50,000.

"I initially heard about the Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship through a television commercial my senior year of high school," she said. "By this point in the year I had applied to numerous national level scholarship programs with no luck and almost didn’t apply because it seemed a long shot."

Awarding $4.6 million in Live Más Scholarships to 531 students and employees across the country, Emily won $25,000, the highest amount. She was selected out of 13,000 total applicants to win this year’s scholarship, and is one of only 9 “renewal” winners – a student who won in the past and reapplied – to be awarded a $25,000 scholarship.

"I spent some time making a two-minute video (attached) showing them what I was passionate about – medicine, people, and living life fully – and was more than pleasantly surprised when they called me a few months later awarding me a substantial scholarship," she said. "Fast forward three years and I received an email stating that Taco Bell Live Mas was starting a renewal program, where former recipients could essentially apply again to renew their scholarship. I again made and submitted a two-minute video sharing what I’d been up to the last few years, how the money has helped me achieve my dreams, and where I’m going next."

The older Austin got, the more her thoughts, passions and experiences lead her on the path to be a doctor, she said.

"As I grew and gained more experiences shadowing and volunteering, I realized that becoming and being a doctor is really difficult. Doctors often meet others in their most vulnerable places in life and I’ve found that medicine holds power capable of revealing the commonality in us all: our brokenness. Being a good doctor necessitates not only extensive medical knowledge but the ability to listen, empathize, validate, and encourage those at their lowest. Through this, I believe doctors can impact more than diagnosis and treatment plans, but real lives. Though difficult, arduous, and requiring sacrifice, the path of a doctor is meaningful, purposeful, and incredibly worthwhile and one that I look forward to pursuing."

Ah, but what kind of doctor?

"I’m not certain on the exact area of medicine I want to enter, but as of now I would love to do anything that begins with the word 'pediatric,' possibly in a pediatric subspecialty, intensive care, emergency room care, or oncology realm," she said. "I’m looking forward to exploring and finding the area that I can best leverage my strengths, work as part of collaborative teams, and have a big impact on people. No matter which field I enter, I hope to keep the patient at the center of my focus – with an aim of healing not only physical ailments, but mental and emotional."

Austin may not be sure, yet, what type of doctor she wants to be, but she knows she wants to stay here and give back.

"I’d love to stay in Georgia to practice one day," she said. "I was born and raised here and can attribute my good health to some incredible doctors here. I’d love to give back to that in some way. Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship Program is founded on the basis of helping young people follow their passions and live out their dreams. I am incredibly grateful for the support I have received.

"Being able to fully focus on my studies without worrying about the financial burdens of education has been such a gift – one that I can largely thank Taco Bell for. I would encourage anyone to apply to not only the Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship Program, but the hundreds of local, state, and national scholarships out there. There are plenty of people and companies willing to support you financially in pursuing an education. Never let the fact that you think it is a “long shot” keep you from putting yourself out there – you’re more capable than you think!"

Austin attends the University of Georgia, majoring in psychology and minoring in biology and global health on a pre-medical pathway. She serves as an orientation leader at her school, mentors underclassmen, and volunteers at Mercy Health Center, a nonprofit that provides medical treatment to the underserved.

With everything else on her plate, Austin does not participate much in gymnastics anymore but that doesn't mean she's totally slipped.

"While I don’t have many skills left in the arsenal, I can still hold a decently long handstand!"

About the Live Más Scholarship:

The Taco Bell Foundation’s Live Más Scholarship is designed to help students pursue their unique passions. Unlike other scholarships, Taco Bell doesn’t choose winners based on academic merit or athletic ability. All the application requires is a 2-minute video describing what you love to do. Both employees and any young fans of the brand ages 16-24 can apply. Scholarships range from $5,000-$25,000 per student. This year, of the 531 scholarship recipients, there were 176 “consumer” (non-Taco Bell employee) winners, 96 Taco Bell employee winners and 259 renewal winners who received rewards previously. The Taco Bell Foundation has now awarded $10.7 million total in scholarships and is committed to awarding $21 million in scholarships by 2021.