Pause for Coz Profile - Emma Chappell ’24
Mathematics major Emma Chappell ’24 chose Santa Clara for two compelling reasons: first, to take advantage of the “wide range of applications a math degree has in Silicon Valley,” while being able to continue her lifelong education in the Catholic tradition. And, last but certainly not least, SCU was a natural fit because Emma’s father is an alumnus “and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.” Her earliest memory of the campus was a visit her fourth-grade class made to the mission for a class project. “I was amazed by the beautiful Santa Clara campus, and how excited my dad was for me to be there.”
In addition to her major, Emma has also enjoyed the coursework in her minor, Italian Studies. “I love the Italian department—my class sizes are small—about six people—which is really fun because we’ve taken every Italian class together since our sophomore year, so now it feels more like a club rather than a class,” she explains.
Studying under Mathematics Associate Professor Tamsen McGinley has also been a formative experience for Emma. “She has been an incredible role model for me, she shows you how women can succeed in the math field.” She is also building fond college memories alongside her Delta Gamma sorority sisters. “It’s allowed me to make best friends here at SCU and enabled me to serve in multiple ways—I ran for a director position on the Junior Council and, this year, was elected to the Honor Board, by my peers,” she says. “Being a member of Delta Gamma has allowed me to join the Panhellenic Honors society which recognizes women in excellent academic standing, as well as gives me another opportunity for service.”
Receiving the Fr. Coz Scholarship inspired “a new energy to become more involved at Santa Clara” and Emma is looking forward to experiencing study abroad this fall. “My family is better able to help me cover these extra expenses because of the generous support of the Fr. Coz scholarship.” She wants donors of the scholarship to know how grateful she is to be recognized for her hard work and academic success. “I am honored to continue Fr. Coz’s legacy and am grateful for the opportunity to meet other high achieving individuals at Santa Clara.”