As the Rangeview community continues to grow and evolve, one individual has played a pivotal role in shaping leadership opportunities for women in STEM. Senior Celina Quach has consistently broken barriers throughout her high school career, using service projects and nationally recognized clubs to empower and inspire others.
Quach is president of the national program StellarXplorers. Through this program, she has dedicated countless hours to ensuring her team consistently improves their critical thinking skills while building a strong sense of community. Without her unwavering support, the team would not have achieved such success in such a competitive environment.
A key mentor who nurtured Quach’s passion for STEM is retired Rangeview STEM teacher Tom Brown. Their connection began during her freshman year.
“He was my engineering teacher freshman year, and at that time, I was not interested in STEM,” Quach said. “But after his class, I enjoyed it so much that I decided to come back for another year, then another, and never looked into another field.”
From that moment on, Quach made it her mission to break barriers in STEM—not only as a woman but also as a first-generation Asian American woman.
As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, Quach faced struggles earning the leadership position she now holds.
“It can be difficult to relate to them and find commonalities,” she said.
Nonetheless, her charisma and ambition became her superpowers. She learned to use different techniques to connect with everyone in her community, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality.
“Something that made it easier for me was growing up with brothers,” she added. “I found it easier to understand men and how their brains work because of my brothers and how I grew up around mostly men.”
In the college admissions process, Quach completed all rounds of the nationally acclaimed QuestBridge program and is set to begin the fall 2025 semester at Duke University.
When asked what made her stand out among thousands of applicants, she said, “Specifically being an Asian American woman in STEM made me stand out as an applicant because we are underrepresented in the STEM field. So I was definitely at an advantage for the QuestBridge scholarship, as colleges are actively seeking diversity in both identity and perspective, and I brought both to the table.”
As Quach moves on to the next chapter in higher education, she leaves behind a legacy for many young women in STEM to follow. Through her hard work and dedication, she has paved a path not only for herself but for every young girl who aspires to pursue a career in STEM. There is no doubt she will continue to impact the lives of others in meaningful and substantial ways.
