When Jacob Damrow came to Towson University all the way from Atlanta, he followed his first passion: the violin.  

But while he spent his first two years as a music performance major, he started to realize that music was more of a hobby. So when he went to change his major, he remembered how much he loved his AP biology class in high school.

This led him to the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics' environmental science program. Now seven years after first stepping on campus, Damrow will be leaving with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental science and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

This highly competitive scholarship is awarded to about 16% of more than 12,000 applicants yearly. The oldest graduate fellowship of its kind, the award recognizes and supports outstanding students pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees with a three-year stipend and access to professional development resources.

Through this fellowship, Damrow will enroll in the University of Southern California’s environmental engineering doctoral program.

“I got emotional when I found out I got the fellowship,” Damrow says. “It helps me out financially while allowing me to continue my research and earn my Ph.D. There is a long lineage of people from my TU lab that have won this award. It seemed like an incredible opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

Damrow was part of chemistry professor John Sivey’s aquatic chemistry research group. His research involved using environmental applications of quantitative and instrumental analysis to study drinking water.

He will do similar research while at USC. As Damrow works toward his doctorate, he will focus on the unregulated world of overprocessed foods.

Since switching his major, he’s taken advantage of every opportunity he could. He’s joined research labs, applied for scholarships and has even served as an adjunct professor.

“I never thought I would be getting paid to do something I was interested in, let alone getting paid to do something I was interested in that is beneficial to humanity,” Damrow says. “My paper may not change the world but added to the body of knowledge, I feel like eventually we'll be able to use that knowledge to make better decisions about how we interact with our world.”

Getting this opportunity has made it an emotional summer for Damrow, who never thought he would get one degree, let alone work toward a doctorate.

Damrow is neurodivergent, has been diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, has severe anxiety and has a severe panic disorder.

“I was worried, especially as a disabled student. I never thought I would be going to grad school,” he says. “I barely thought I'd get a bachelor's degree. I never thought I would get to do the things that I’ve done.”

Damrow credits his success to finding his community at Towson University—in the music department and on-campus Greek organizations, working with Housing & Residence Life and joining Sivey’s lab group.

The best way he can describe his journey is through Harry Potter, as he felt like Towson University was his Hogwarts.

“I don't think I would've done any of the things I’ve done if it hadn't been for all the faculty and all the students I met along the way,” Damrow says. “With how things have shaken out, I think moving to Maryland and going to Towson has been the best decision I've made in my entire life.”