After reading Anya Muminovic’s application for a PSI Chapter scholarship, the only appropriate response is “Wow.”

Academically, Anya ended high school second in her class of 325, achieving a 4.7 weighted GPA (4.0 unweighted GPA), a 34 ACT score and a 1400 SAT score, all while taking a heavy International Baccalaureate class load. She achieved that level of academic excellence while serving as vice president of her senior class and competing at a high level on her school’s swim team. Her swimming achievements include winning a state swimming competition in the breaststroke as a sophomore and receiving the Scholar Athlete Award each season. Speaking of awards and honors, she also is an AP Scholar Award winner and a member of the National Honor Society.

Outside of school, Anya was involved in Special Olympics and has been a Girl Scout for 12 years, receiving a Girl Scout Gold Award—the group’s highest distinction—for creating a drowning awareness campaign while serving as a lifeguard at her local pool. She also excelled working in the children’s department of Centenary United Methodist Church where she led Vacation Bible School classes for children, served food at youth events and packed bags of food for the church’s Backpack Buddies program. No wonder her church employer called her an “ideal employee.”

Her teacher and employer references also praised Anya for demonstrating excellence in every aspect of her life and being “incredibly meticulous” in all that she does. In short, she is “an exceptional young lady.” She also is notable for being the first person in her family to attend college.

Given all of the above achievements and accolades, it’s no surprise that PSI selected Anya as the winner of the inaugural Nini Krever Award for Academic Excellence, the chapter’s $5,000 grand-prize scholarship. PSI caught up with Anya in June to talk about her distinguished high school career and her college—and career—plans going forward.

How do you feel about being chosen as the PSI scholarship grand-prize winner? I was honestly speechless when I got the call that I won the grand prize! The application for the scholarship was unique, and I’m so grateful the committee thought so highly of my work. My dad has been working in the paper stock industry for my entire life, and I find it so special that we are now connected in this way. I also was so honored to hear that I’m the first winner of the Nini Krever Award for Academic Excellence. How exciting! 

What was your favorite high school class? Your most challenging? Why? I was an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) candidate, and my favorite class was Theory of Knowledge, the trademark IBDP course all students must take. It challenged me to consider other points of view in a new depth, and the writing structure I was taught has already proved to be invaluable when applying for college and other opportunities. My hardest class was IB Math Analysis and Approaches because the math was high level and certainly was a challenge at times.

What have been your proudest achievements so far? My sophomore year I was the NCHSAA 3A swimming state champion in the 100-yard breaststroke, and that was such a great feeling. I look back on that day fondly. Additionally, I received the Girl Scout Gold Award, which I am proud to have accomplished. 

What do you think are your greatest strengths? I think being able to look past rejection has been a huge asset for me thus far. I’m a strong believer that you can learn something from every time you are told no, and I don’t let those instances discourage me from achieving my goals. All it takes is one yes! I also think not being afraid of the work is important if you want to accomplish something big. Big goals can be daunting, but I never let that scare me away from the task. I always remember that life is short, and there is no time like the present to accomplish any goal you set your mind to. 

What are you passionate about? I am passionate about my faith and growing my relationship with God. He has blessed me so much throughout my life and particularly within this past year. I decided in May to get baptized and confirmed into my church, and it was such a special day. I actively try to base my relationship with God by trusting in His plan. I also am passionate about my community. I live in a small town in rural North Carolina, and I owe almost all my success to the amazing people who have graciously donated their time or resources to help me apply for college, practice for interviews, or give me their support. Particularly, I’d like to thank Mrs. Deborah Woodruff, Ms. Maria Garcia, Ms. Rebecca Reeves, and the staff at Carroll Pharmacy for all they have done to get me to this point. 

Tell us something about you that would surprise people. I’m entering college as a Division I athlete for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill women’s rowing team! 

What do you like to do in your free time? I enjoy reading and doing small crafts. My favorite reading genres are romance and fantasy, and I also enjoy science fiction. I love to crochet and sew, and I’ve been creating decorations for my college dorm room lately.

How do you feel about finishing high school and preparing to enter college? It definitely depends on the day. I’m so happy to start a new chapter, meet new people, and be exposed to so many new opportunities. However, I had a really enjoyable high school experience, and I’ll miss my classmates. My cohort was pretty small, so it certainly will be an adjustment attending such a big school. 

Why did you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill? I primarily decided to attend that school due to my major. The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy is the No. 1 school of pharmacy in the nation, and I wanted to be a part of that excellent program. However, I also was recruited as a Division I athlete for the women’s rowing team, which solidified my decision to attend UNC at Chapel Hill.

Why did you choose the pharmacy career path? Pharmacy first interested me as a career when I started chemistry class my sophomore year. I had known prior to taking the course that I wanted to be in the medical field, but none of the professions I considered seemed like a good fit. Chemistry excited me, and I garnered interest in every unit I learned, always asking more questions and wanting to learn more than the base curriculum. My chemistry teacher recommended pharmacy to me, and my math teacher recommended that I try to work at our local pharmacy to learn more about the career. I’m currently a technician at my local pharmacy, and I’m genuinely excited to go into work each day and learn something new. The science behind medicine fascinates me, and the day-to-day tasks of the pharmacists on staff let them foster relationships with patients and extend their knowledge of medicine as they encounter new cases. I’ve learned through my observations that this career is everything I’m looking for. 

What do you plan to do with the rest of your summer? Up to this point, I’ve been working at the pharmacy, working as a camp counselor for my church’s summer camp program, and completing my summer workouts for rowing. I have a rowing camp in July that I’m really excited about, and I’m going to partake in my first solo domestic travel experience with Outward Bound. I will be flying to Grand Junction, Colorado, and whitewater rafting/backpacking across the Moab area for two weeks. I’m so excited! 



ReMA Paper Stock Industries (PSI) Chapter

A National Chapter of the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA)

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