Mikayla Barry, a graduate of St. Joseph Catholic School in Bryan, Texas, received an NSHSS National Scholar Award in 2013. Valedictorian of her high school senior class, she was able to excel in both the arts and sciences, participating in numerous music competitions as a flutist, taking first chair in the Association of Texas Small Schools All-State Band and volunteering at Texas A&M University's summer SEE Math Camp.  Now as a college freshman at Texas A&M, she has found a way to successfully combine her passions for both science and music in her university experience.

She has maintained a perfect 4.0 for her first semester, and while continuing her education as a Biomedical Engineering major (taking 15 hours of mostly science and mathematics courses) she is also taking two music courses. Mikayla says," I realized that I perform better in all aspects of my life when I am involved in music--and while my major will remain engineering-based, I am grateful that I am able to commit the time to perform with Texas A&M's top music ensemble."