Emily was born in Aiken, South Carolina, on September 6, 2005. She was a Senior at Silver Bluff High School and the first-ever cohort of the Biomedical Science program at the Aiken County Career and Technology Center, earning dual credits for college. She was a founding member of the Biomedical Science Outreach Team and "Student of the Quarter" numerous times. Emily was Co-Student of the Year for the Biomedical Science Program for the 2022-2023 school year. She competed at the S.C. HOSA (Future Health Professionals Student Organization) Spring Leadership Conference and was the Aiken County Career and Technical Center HOSA Vice-President for the fall of 2023. Emily earned industry certifications in OSHA-10, CPR and AED, YouScience Biotechnology, Biotechnology, and the Biotechnician Assistant Certification (BACE), a college-level biotechnology assessment. Emily twice participated in the Miss CATE pageant, winning the Casual Wear award in 2022 and the Sponsorship Award in 2023 due to her networking with small businesses in downtown Aiken. She was the primary author of a peer-reviewed poster presentation at the National Science Teachers Association Conference in 2023 and co-author of a second.

Emily was smart, focused, and ambitious, and she exuded confidence. She was dedicated to community service and giving back to those in need. Emily grew from Disney Princess to Barbie-she was all sparkles and glitter. She loved traveling, Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee, and horses, but most of all, Emily loved Jesus, Ryan, her family, and her friends.

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