When Driptaa Chakraborty, senior, answered a call from Washington University, she didn’t expect to be informed that she was one of six finalists for the annual full-ride scholarship to its architecture program.

“It’s still too good to be true to me,” Chakraborty said. “I never would have expected to get something like that.”  

When students submit their application portfolios for the architecture program at Wash U, they are automatically placed under review for the scholarship. Toward the end of March, Chakraborty learned she had won the scholarship.

Chakraborty said it’s common for portfolios to have themes to go with their art. Her theme was the relationship between math and art because she had always been interested in the two subjects. 

“People just think of those two to be very different from each other, and I wanted to show the relationship between them.” Chakraborty said. 

Melissa Wilson, art teacher, who was Charkaborty’s art teacher in AP Art 1 and 2, said her well-developed artistic style and intellectual approach to making art allowed her to stand out. 

When she first heard about Chakraborty’s scholarship, Wilson said she was very excited for her. She hopes she will continue to excel at Wash U.  

“I am so happy that the scholarship interview committee recognized the incredible academic potential that Driptaa possesses,” Wilson said. 

Jennifer Li, senior, who heard about the scholarship from Chakraborty, said she expected Chakraborty to get the scholarship from the start.

 “I remember that Driptaa was a little uncertain that she would get it, but I always knew she would because her portfolio is absolutely amazing,” Li said.

Although she had never taken an AP art class herself, Li said that Chakraborty is one of the most artistically gifted people she’s ever met and that she is proud of her for earning the scholarship. 

“She is such an amazing artist, and I really admire her creativity in bridging art and STEM to create really memorable pieces,” Li said.