Kennesaw State University alumna Georgia McGaughey, a leading scientist in the pharmaceutical field, encouraged graduates of the College of Science and Mathematics in a commencement speech Tuesday and left the lasting gift of an endowed scholarship.
Topping off the return to her alma mater, McGaughey created an endowed scholarship to help future generations of Kennesaw State science students from underrepresented groups. The scholarship was established with a $50,000 endowment and will be based on merit and financial need.
“While writing my commencement speech, I realized how foundational Kennesaw State was to where I am now, and I thought it was time to give back,” she said. “I have a real affinity for helping diversify the sciences, so I hope the endowment can support someone with a real love for science — someone who might want to be philanthropic themselves someday.”
McGaughey enrolled at Kennesaw State while still in high school, earning dual credits toward both her high school and undergraduate diplomas. After graduating high school, she continued her studies at KSU and majored in chemistry. She credited several professors for further stoking her love of chemistry and for engaging her in undergraduate research.
“The professors I had were incredibly accessible and very supportive,” she said. “I loved that they were so generous in sharing their knowledge with their students, and I hope that I can repay some of that generosity.”
McGaughey is vice president of the data and computational sciences group at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Boston, working to set strategy for the research arm of the company. During her 25-year career, she has also worked for leading pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Merck. She serves as a board member and treasurer for the Silent Spring Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the link between chemicals in the environment and women’s health, particularly breast cancer.
McGaughey earned a bachelor’s in chemistry from Kennesaw State and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Georgia. Away from working and volunteering, she is a pianist and an avid runner. She has two daughters, one of whom is a chemist and another who is a college student.
