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Honors Powerhouse Sarah Kimberly Elected as U.S. Presidential Scholar

University of Houston freshman Sarah Kimberly has been actively singing and playing music since she was nine years old, and born with synesthesia, a condition where someone sees colors and shapes in correlation with sounds and music, her fresh vocal talent and perspective is different than most.

At just 19, she has collaborated with Hall of Fame songwriters, charted on Billboard, finished as a semifinalist in national music competition “The Voice” and been recently named as one of only 20 vocal U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts by the National YoungArts Foundation (NYAF).

Targeting students actively demonstrating leadership, academic excellence and community service, the NYAF praised Kimberly’s unique Indie Roots style by giving her vocal talent high honors and putting her alongside previous Presidential Scholars such as Josh Groban, Timothée Chalamet and Billy Porter.

But, singing isn’t her only passion. Driven to gain experience and an understanding of business matters, Kimberly is interning with finance global leader Morgan Stanley to gain hands-on experience in wealth management and varied networking opportunities, while participating in Bauer Capital Group, Bauer Honors and Bauer Honors Student Advisory Board.

Also active in Bonner Leaders, Kimberly designates at least two service hours each week to the community, addressing challenges affecting the quality of life in Houston and serving as a music mentor, ASPIRE tutor and contributing writer for Tunes for Kidz. 

Studying a combined liberal arts and business curriculum, Kimberly highlighted the electric pulse of the UH community and the multitude of opportunities for freshman student involvement. With academic services, networking and professional development options honed to individualized passions, UH paints a music all its own. 

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