Name: Marianne Mullan

Age: 22

School: Franciscan University of Steubenville

Accomplishment: Awarded a $1,500 college grant from the Rockville Scholarship Foundation, Inc. for her academic achievements and volunteer work.

Key to success: “I’m a very active person, I suppose, easily bored, so I like to keep busy," Mullan said. She is a Maryland 4-H All Star and an eating disorder awareness advocate. She graduated as valedictorian from Montgomery College in 2010 and is currently completing her undergrauate degree in clinical psychology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, in Ohio. Mullan hopes ultimately to become a therapist focusing on eating disorders.

"I think it ultimately comes down to all the things I do are oriented towards helping people," she said. "I love working with people and think they are the common denominator throughout all of my activities."

Advice to others seeking a Rockville Scholarship Foundation grant: Mullan, who has been passionate about the issue of eating disorders since high school, said that it is important to be who one really is and to pursue one's dreams, while asking oneself questions like "What do you love?" and "What motivates you?" 

When it comes to RSF honorees, “I think that what stands out most, in my opinion, is that they’re genuine people being who they really are and not who they think they should be,” she said.

Certain decisions and bad advice can make people become busy doing things they don't truly want to do, Mullan said.

“I kind of was pursuing different careers and I woke up one day and realized, 'I love what I do already to help people. That's who I really am and what I want to do,'” she said.