Erin McCreary is a Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences student at Auburn University, in Alabama. Her dream is to earn her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and one day do research and drug development specifically related to autism spectrum disorders. As president of her sorority, she led her sisters to support Autism Speaks, a very important cause for Erin, who has a brother on the autism spectrum. Erin has worked to hold an autism walk in Auburn in October that raised over $40,000, and started an event called “Light it up Blue” throughout Autism Awareness Month in April to raise money on her campus.

Erin’s role model is Kerri Strug, from the 1996 Olympic gymnastic team, who won a gold medal for the United States despite an injured her ankle during her first event. “No one is more inspiring or selfless to me,” says Erin. Yet Erin thanks her family for making her the person she is today: “My brother, sister, mom and dad all inspire me in their own way to keep trying new things and working hard in all that I do.”