Christina Patterson

High School Graduation Year: 2019
Year First Awarded the Carson Scholarship: 2015
Sponsored by: Pittsburgh Chapter

Christina is currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology. After her brother was diagnosed with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy, Christina studied vigorously for wheelchairs for him in the months and years to follow. Still unsatisfied, she contacted a local engineering lab and pleaded with them to let her take part in their field work. She was elated to be part of a team working on an in-depth review paper for individual’s trialing various assistive devices. Engineering gave Christina the space to solve problems collaboratively and innovatively. Her goal is to gather the tools needed to improve the quality of life for the physically disabled population.

In order to keep her cultures thriving, Christina teaches Sunday school to the grade school children at her church, incorporating ancient Coptic chants and hymns. Although she does not speak Arabic or Coptic, Christina is able to relay the gist of most conversations to other English-only speakers. In this way, her role has become the “translator.”