Reeling in the Michael Henry Peck Endowed STEM Scholarship unlocked opportunities for Erica Molnar

May 21, 2025
By Molly Urnek

As a child collecting tadpoles for her makeshift frog sanctuary, Erica Molnar knew she belonged near the water.
Growing up in Michigan, Molnar explored marshes, fished with her dad and collected clam shells in Lake Huron. Those days spent searching for life beneath the waves — and her obsession with “The Little Mermaid” movie — ignited her passion for marine biology.

For Molnar, USF was ripe with opportunity due to its proximity to major environmental organizations, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. The price of out-of-state tuition, however, limited her ability to take advantage.

That changed when Molnar received the Michael Henry Peck Endowed STEM Scholarship. Supported by a planned gift from the Michael Henry Peck Trust, the scholarship supports undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business or accounting.

“Because other people believe in me, I feel more encouraged to achieve and reach beyond marine biology into more of an interdisciplinary territory,” she says.
Molnar began undergraduate research, took elective courses in public health and scientific diving, and studied abroad on Union Island to research the diversity of fish and coral reefs. 

Those experiences wouldn’t have been possible without the extra support, she says. 

Now a junior, Molnar plans to attend graduate school and continue researching the connections among veterinary, medical and environmental science, particularly in the aquaculture and seafood industry. She is fascinated by how people are impacted by disease epidemics in marine species and the spread of parasites in the ocean.

“I want more people to know how we can create a healthier environment for ourselves and for plants and animals,” Molnar says. “Sometimes we forget how much we depend upon and impact each other.”