
Hobbies and interests
3D Modeling
Aerospace
Agriculture
Animation
Archaeology
Anthropology
Architecture
Beach
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Volleyball
Board Games And Puzzles
Chess
Cinematography
Engineering
Environmental Science and Sustainability
Exploring Nature And Being Outside
Geography
Geology
Voice Acting
Swimming
Physics
Snorkeling
Forensics
Marine Biology
Research
Scuba Diving
Sewing
Roller Skating
Robotics
Reading
Fantasy
Adventure
Classics
Folklore
Young Adult
Science Fiction
Architecture
I read books multiple times per month
US CITIZENSHIP
US Citizen
LOW INCOME STUDENT
Yes
FIRST GENERATION STUDENT
Yes
Tracie Mankee
1,995
Bold Points1x
Nominee1x
Finalist1x
Winner
Tracie Mankee
1,995
Bold Points1x
Nominee1x
Finalist1x
WinnerBio
Hi! My name is Tracie. Currently I am an undergraduate student and prospective Honors College student at Florida International University, develing into the feild of Mechanical Engineering. I’ve considered fields that range from the land and sea to the stars; architect, engineer, marine biologist, aerospace engineer, astrophysicist. The list goes on. All these wondrous options presented to me yet I felt limited to one. Hence, I decided to engineer my own path. There is one thing all these careers have in common; It is the act of discovering the untapped troves of information of the unknown. I do not wish to waste the one life I am granted focused on one aspect of the marvelous world we live in. My ultimate career goal is to branch off into Research of the planet and universe while employing sustainable practices. However, my holistic goal to satisfy my character includes exploring and understanding the unknown of our world, alongside telling a story of how our planet can be any reality we want, if we only try to grasp at every opportunity we are given.
Education
Florida International University
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Mechanical Engineering
GPA:
4
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Agricultural Engineering
- Architectural Engineering
- Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry
- Mechanical Engineering
- Physics
- Physics and Astronomy
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research
- Marine Sciences
- Geological/Geophysical Engineering
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Career
Dream career field:
Research
Dream career goals:
Research Engineer, Atrophysists, Physics professor, Marine Engineer, Architecture, Geologist, Director
Sales Associate
TJX2024 – 2024Client Liason
Mz.Cakez2022 – 2022Sales Assistant
D.Mankee & Co. LTD2023 – 20241 year
Sports
Swimming
Varsity2018 – 20235 years
Awards
- Individual Relay Medal (ASATT SECONDARY SCHOOL SWIM MEET)
- School Trophy - 3rd Place Female (ASATT SECONDARY SCHOOL SWIM MEET)
Karate
Club2013 – 20174 years
Awards
- Four Karate Certificates ( Awarded for rank of belt)
Tennis
Club2015 – 20205 years
Research
Mechanical Engineering
Belmont Boys Secondary School — Research and Design2022 – 2023Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
St.Josephs Convent Port of Spain — Research and Writer2021 – 2023
Arts
UDECOTT
Sculpture2021 – 2021
Public services
Volunteering
The FIU Student Government Association and the Center for Leadership & Service — My role was colleecting debris and any trash dumped or washed up , and then logging it in the Clean Swell app under their respective categories.2025 – 2025Advocacy
St. Joseph's Convent POS Animal Rights Club — Member- took part in discussions and donated to fundraisers(bake sales etc..)2022 – 2023
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Anderson Engineering Scholarship
I do not think of engineering as a career. For me, it is a passion, as well as a duty to improve lives and the future of the planet. As far as I can remember I have always had love for creation and design.
Creating engulfed my imagination as a child. I made numerous attempts to build cannons from M&M candy tube packaging and rubber launchers from popsicle sticks. Then as a pre-teen, I would sketch designs and do technical drawings of my ideas to produce what I imagined. During my teenage years, I started noticing the real world. My desire for silly creations seemed so small next to the hardships and degradation of the planet. I slowly began to shift my ideas for building items that would solve problems, rather than create them.
Thus far, Technical Drawing has certainly piqued my interest and held my attention. To pursue this subject for my Caribbean Secondary Education Exams (“CSEC”), in Trinidad, I had to seek classes outside of my school, as the subject was not offered. I enjoyed studying it so much, I even had the honor of placing 14th in Trinidad and Tobago for the 2023 Technical Drawing CSEC exam.
This class allowed me to work with and gain experience in programs inculding, AutoCAD, Fusion360 and SolidWorks. I always enjoyed drafting machine Technical Drawings. Why? The concept of using ideas to consider what on the inside makes an a model function fascinates me. Being able to mentally assess whether a design will work based purely on conceptualization and critical thinking drives me. As such, I was able to re-design a Harmonic Balancer pulley, given less than ideal constraints. I hope to pursue Technical Drawing further and to eventually gain my CAD license.
As a university student, I continue to create. Some projects completed in my first semester, as a freshman, include designing a parametric heat sink and re-designing a collapsable dog bowl with locking lids that double as a stand, both designs part of my engineering program. However, the collapsable dog bowl was done with the intent to make a functional and 3D printable design. The idea came from what I would find beneficial, as a pet owner, myself.
Other projects I am currently working on, as part of my engineering program, include coding a Truss design to take specific inputted constraints and simulate the bridge load multiplied by its design limit. I have been engrossed in these projects because I have made connections within every course I have taken thus far. Concepts and laws learnt in physics have been applied in engineering calculus problems and developed in CAD. Making these connections between what I am learning and how it appears and is implemented in real life is intriguing.
I even recently attended a school workshop and learned how to solder. Making mistakes and adding too much solder was part of the process of learning to fix errors using hot tools and copper fabric. Experiences like this helped me understand that I should not expect perfection. My intent as an engineer major is to use the skills I am learning and learn to look for solutions. Some of which might be acquired from the analysis of current knowledge or those that require a little more research. The ability to welcome mistakes and problem solving by applying concepts is an invaluable skill.
If I wish to seek answers and engineer solutions to the progression and sustainability of society and the planet, I must be willing to compromise and understand issues in their entirety before jumping in with a half solution.
Anderson Engineering Scholarship
WinnerQuestions are followed by answers. A simple yes or no. What happens when neither is the case?
As a child, I quizzed my parents on every question imaginable. Some were answered with grace,
but the mind-boggling ones faced the dreaded phrase, “I Don't Know.” Being a stickler for
answers, I decided that was insufficient. So, this followed another challenge for my parents, the
big “WHY?” Once again, I confronted the opponent, “I don't know.” As birthdays passed, more
questions arose and more people were questioned, but they all led me back to the same foe, “I don't
know.” To not know, means to be unaware of something, and to be unaware of something means
to be blissfully ignorant of the world of wondrous possibility we live in. How could I possibly live
a full life without trying to grasp everything the unknown has to offer?
It is difficult to stick to the script given for living life. “If you could choose one thing when you grow up, what would you want to be?” This question often stumped me as the answers are ever changing in my young mind. I’ve considered fields that range from the land and sea to the stars; architect, engineer, marine biologist, cinematographer, aerospace engineer, astrophysicist. The list goes on. All these wondrous options presented to me yet I felt limited to one. Hence, I decided to engineer my own path. There is one thing all these careers have in common; It is the act of discovering the untapped troves of information of the unknown. I do not wish to waste the one life I am granted focused on one aspect of the marvelous world we live in.
I endeavor to see and explore everything this planet has to offer using sustainable practices, in so giving back to Mother Nature. My passion for designand improvement revealed itself through my scribbles and drawings, later becoming cardboard models of houses, cartoon characters, structures, and a water dispenser, created out of cardboard and a syringe.
To date, my most recent accomplishment is one I am most proud of. Recognized nationally, I received a ranking of 14th on the, ‘Territorial Merit List of Trinidad and Tobago,’ for the subject Technical Drawing(Mechanical). This recognition is not only a privilege but demonstrates my connection to a subject dedicated to design and improvement, which has been a large motivation for my future goals and the paths I wish to take in life.
Today our planet and way of life is rapidly deteriorating. How can we mend such damage without leaving every stone unturned? It is our job as mankind to look after the animals and ecosystems that we share this land with. Therefore, I look forward to pursuing mechanical engineering and broadening my experiences by learning different subjects so that I may pursue the path of research. I wish to tap into our potential to better our planet and one day be a voice of change who can bring together society, as we work towards a goal of knowledge and sustainability.
Rev. and Mrs. E B Dunbar Scholarship
Like many families, my home is burdened with financial hardship constantly. Whether it is to keep our family business afloat, pay immigration lawyers their fees, medical bills, school fees, utilities or any miscellaneous expense. There is always something to pay or someone that needs money. I am fully aware of how overwhelming the cost of university can be. After all, I have an elder sister who graduated college several years ago. The brunt of its cost was faced by my parents and international fees were overbearing as well as the cost of living which often impacted my sister’s meals. My mother worked two jobs and my father engaged in overtime often. My sister even got a job to cover some costs. The financial hardship mostly led to constant arguments, slammed doors, and late-night drinking. Our household never seemed relaxed. Every cent made went towards a bill. We often had to prioritize what was more important; Either grocery bills or extracurriculars. To this day, my parents are still in debt although my mother works two jobs and my father does overtime. My sister still has her student loans to pay off.
Being awarded any funds will surely allow me to pursue my studies guilt-free by alleviating the strain off of my parents. Instead of worrying about where we will be getting the money for the next school payment, I would be able to focus on my academics and become the exceptional student which Florida International University envisions to mold. Additionally, I firmly believe being granted any award will ease the tension in my household and allow my family to live life comfortably while I attend school. Neither one should be put on pause when gaining an education. Learning is a part of living a full life.
Today our planet and way of life is rapidly deteriorating. How can we mend such damage without leaving every stone unturned? It is our job as mankind to look after the animals and ecosystems that we share this land with. Therefore, I look forward to pursuing mechanical engineering and broadening my experiences by learning different subjects so that I may pursue the path of research. I wish to tap into our potential to better our planet and one day be a voice of change who can bring together society, as we work towards a goal of knowledge and sustainability. To accomplish such fulfilling and important goals at Florida International University, financial aid will play a large role in allowing me to bring this vision to fruition.
Sean Carroll's Mindscape Big Picture Scholarship
I DON’T KNOW
Questions are followed by answers. A simple yes or no. What happens when neither is the case?
As a child, I quizzed my parents on every question imaginable. Some were answered with grace,
but the mind-boggling ones faced the dreaded phrase, “I Don't Know.” Being a stickler for answers,
I decided that was insufficient. So, this followed another challenge for my parents, the big “WHY?”
Once again, I confronted the opponent, “I don't know.” As birthdays passed, more questions arose
and more people were questioned, but they all led me back to the same foe, “I don't know.” To not
know, means to be unaware of something, and to be unaware of something means to be blissfully
ignorant of the world of wondrous possibility we live in. How could I possibly live a full life without
trying to grasp everything the unknown has to offer?
Born of thirst for answers to the uncharted, combined with curiosity coursing through my veins,
was creativity and wild theories. My passion for design revealed itself through my scribbles and
drawings, later becoming cardboard models of houses, cartoon characters, structures, and a water
dispenser, created out of cardboard and a syringe. Although my hands explored what I could
create, my mind drifted away to the realities I read about. Often, I yearned to be whisked away
within the pages of stories to escape. To escape what? What does a child with no responsibilities
need to escape? Some think we know nothing but, in truth, we see everything. I saw looks of
despair, never merriment. I heard shrewd comments made to each other. I heard arguments.
Sometimes yanked from the sidelines and forced into the scapegoat. I saw drinking. I heard the
slammed doors. I felt an empty home. My question was, “Where is my fairytale?”
I wanted to be whisked away, to where my mind and hands were. How I wished for it to be my
reality. Lands where friendship and adventure conquered battles. To witness cities of gold lined
with love. Millions of alternate universes, rampant in libraries but it was the underwater kingdom,
Atlantis, that caught my eye. Endless possibilities in a single city being filled with merfolk singing,
treasures and troves, a technologically advanced society, with flora and fauna blossoming
alongside. For some time, I dreamed of traveling to Atlantis, living a fantasy. But I realized there
was no need to travel miles below sea, as we too live in an Atlantis of our own.
Our universe utterly exceeds the boundaries of novels, offering vast richness in treasures and life,
but also collaborative efforts to shape our world. Nevertheless, reality does not mirror the
fantasies of storybooks; our potential remains largely untapped, hindered by lack of motivation for
progress. The fabled city of Atlantis bears a reminder; it is possible to thrive in ecological
harmony. Our Earthly realm beseeches assistance from humanity. Unsustainable practices imperil
existence, compelling us to confront the abyss where solutions await, yet we falter. I pledge to
embrace the myriad of gifts bestowed by this planet—life, knowledge, affection, nature, restoration,
evolution. Why pursue escapism when fulfillment beckons?
It is imperative we seek, discover and mend relationships while resisting the urge to flee when
opposed by challenges. Though tempting to retreat into fantasy, why sacrifice reality when we
have power to shape it? Let us strive to become our best selves, for the planet we and nature call
home. Rather than being consumed by trivial disputes and material possessions, we must focus
on rectifying mistakes. The unknown is not our adversary; it holds the solutions we seek, if only we
dare inquire and comprehend. Earth entrusts us with life, it is our duty to nurture and understand it.
Given the opportunity, why not attempt to create a better existence? We never know when we will
have more yesterdays than tomorrows.