Monday, December 1, 2025
Kaylee Higginbotham is a first-generation UNT student, ambitious biology major, and recipient of the COS Students Helping Students Scholarship. 
Kaylee Higginbotham is a first-generation UNT student and an ambitious biology major, minoring in chemistry and working on her Health Professions Development Certification. As an incoming freshman, Kaylee was this year’s recipient of the College of Science’s Students Helping Students Scholarship, an award entirely funded by graduating seniors who are eager to give back to future generations of students.Kaylee Higginbotham
 
“I had never heard of a student-funded scholarship, so to receive the Students Helping Students award was such a positive start to my freshman year,” said Kaylee, who also received the the Honors College’s First Time in College Scholarship (FTIC) Scholarship and the UNT Excellence Eagle Scholarship this year.
 
Last year, Kaylee was inspired to investigate research opportunities at UNT’s Fall Preview event and got involved with the Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program, led by Dr. Lee Hughes.
 
“As a class, phages are collected, identified, and archived into a database as research material. There are many under-researched or undiscovered bacteriophages, so this program focuses on building biologists' understanding of the many characteristics of phages,” said Kaylee. “Because of this program, I have really fallen in love with lab work!"
 
As she discovers her love of research, Kaylee has also been uncovering her passion for medicine. While she’s still deciding her ultimate career path, she knows the Health Professions Development Certification will be the perfect foundation to accomplish her goals.
 
When she’s not in the lab or studying, Kaylee serves on the Executive Board of the Rawlins Hall Council as Coordinator of Outreach and attends crochet club meetings. She also has a Peer Mentor through UNT’s Honors College.
 
"Ananya is my Peer Mentor and a biology major herself, so she knows how chaotic this academic path it can be,” said Kaylee. “Though she isn’t involved in the SEA-PHAGES lab, she’s always down to help me if I don’t understand a concept or if I need help finding opportunities or resources. Overall, she is a major part of my ‘science support system,’ and I deeply appreciate her mentorship.”