Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

At Mary Kay, empowering young women and sparking a passion for STEM isn’t just a mission – it’s a movement. This spring, we proudly returned for the second year as a Special Awards Organization at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF), the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition, held in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.

The energy at ISEF was nothing short of electric. Each year, nearly 2,000 brilliant young minds from more than 60 countries come together to showcase projects that could change the world – literally. With more than $9 million in awards, scholarships, and networking opportunities with industry leaders, the fair is a launchpad for the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.

This year marked ISEF’s 75^th anniversary, and Mary Kay had the honor of awarding ten grants totaling nearly $10,000 to high school students whose projects stood out for their creativity, impact, and potential to make a difference. Their work ranged from developing potential cures for cancers affecting women, to designing sustainable packaging solutions, to protecting our planet’s most precious natural resources.

Recently, we caught up with one of Mary Kay’s scholarship recipients, Carolina de Araujo Pereira da Silva^[1] from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to check in on her work and school. When we saw Carolina again this year, she was presenting her work on Salinomycin as a Molecular Trojan Horse for Targeting Mn-Induced Malignancy in Aggressive Tumors.

We are so excited to have this fantastic opportunity to sit down with you and see how life is going! You’re a two-time Mary Kay scholarship winner! Tell us how you’re doing and share with us some aha moments from the past 2 whirlwind years.  

• As a girl from São João de Meriti, a city on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it often felt unlikely that I would one day present my research in an international, prestigious competition like ISEF, let alone be recognized twice by Mary Kay! Receiving the Mary Kay Research Grant in 2024, among thousands of extraordinary projects, was much more than financial support: it was confirmation that state-of-the-art research can be developed even in places where resources are limited. This award gave me the confidence and motivation to continue working as soon as I returned from ISEF 2024.
• With the support I received from Mary Kay, together with the DCAT (Drug, Chemical, and Associated Technologies Association) award at ISEF 2024, I decided to invest in improvements for my research. For instance, purchasing a camera was crucial to documenting the tumor cells in each experiment. As a result, I was able to build a stronger, more complete, and reliable dataset, which was essential for being selected to participate in ISEF again in 2025 and once more receive the Mary Kay Research Grant. What makes me even happier is that this equipment has helped (and continues to help) not only me, but all the members of my research group, being especially valuable for obtaining high-quality images of experiments that allow us to publish our work in international scientific journals.
• Additionally, with this year’s grant, I plan to purchase equipment for my lab as a way of giving back to the place that has supported my research the most. Looking ahead, I’m applying to universities in the United States, where I will have more opportunities to explore research throughout my undergraduate studies. Both Mary Kay awards are helping me get closer to this dream by providing the resources to help develop my research, and the belief that I can become a researcher who gives back to my community and, hopefully, contribute to making cancer treatment more effective and less aggressive for patients in the future.

We, at Mary Kay, are honored to know such a talented, kind, and goal-oriented young woman. We wish Carolina continued success in all her future endeavors.

Supporting these students isn’t just about celebrating their current achievements, it’s about fueling their journey forward. By championing young innovators, Mary Kay is investing in a future where science and creativity intersect to solve our world’s biggest challenges. 

Because when young people dream in STEM, they don’t just imagine a better future – they build it.

Did You Know: 

• Mary Kay Inc. is empowering the next generation of women in STEM by awarding 40 grants totaling $195,000 to support young women around the world in pursuing their dreams in STEM-related fields.

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About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

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^[1] Carolina de Araujo Pereira da Silva is a two-time Mary Kay Young Women in STEM grant recipient for her outstanding contributions to the cancer research field. Her 2024 prize money was utilized toward furthering her presented project - Rock the Metals! Investigating Manganese as a Trigger of Malignancy and Metal Transporters as Targets in Cancer Treatment which elevated her 2025 award-winning submission. 

Mary Kay

Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in more than 40 markets. For over 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X. 

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