Even for the Best and Brightest, Tikvah Koppisch is extremely successful. Her academic career – including 15 Advanced Placement Courses – causes school staff to describe Koppisch as “rigorous as she is curious.” A National Merit Scholar, she currently has a cumulative G.P.A. of 4.314.  

According to her college counselor at the Vanguard School, over the last 18 months, Tikvah has also read 291 books. Her interests are wide-ranging – from The Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. She accomplished this feat while also taking a calculus course at UC Berkeley. 

Tikvah told us in her application, “I have wanted to be an engineer since fifth grade.” But this young woman didn’t gain her success alone. She found a way to take others with her.  

Koppisch is acknowledged in her counselor’s recommendation letter as “a builder of communities, a student whose leadership is rooted in inclusion and initiative. She’s told the Gazette, “In high school, I established the only Society of Women Engineers Next (SWEN) in Southern Colorado, destigmatizing the presence of girls in STEM.”  

SWEN’s community outreach is making a meaningful impact, showing kids that STEM welcomes innovators of all backgrounds and ages. Third graders build robots, and high school girls like Tikvah are shaping a brighter future. Last year, the group also completed the first science fair at The Vanguard School in over a decade. 

But Tikvah said that her favorite community at school is the rocketry team. She took it upon herself to rebuild it after last year’s graduation. The 2025 team was mostly seniors and their departure was devastating.  

Under Koppisch’s leadership, the rocketry team is thriving. According to her coach, the team has reached new heights because she has organized and planned their activities while fostering a culture of collaboration and enthusiasm. They now have an Instagram page featuring videos of team members she produced. The page receives between 5,000 and 9,000 views each month. 

When asked what goals she had for the future, Tikvah Koppisch quipped, “Chase success, not dreams!” She continues, “But in my case, there’s never been a difference. Everything that I have accomplished is a dream made reality.”  

When pressed to explain that thought further, the young woman explained, “Dreams are the motivator, but success is the journey. Success is found in the discipline you learn and the friends you make.” 

Tikvah plans to attend the University of Tennessee through its Engineering Honors program. She has decided to earn a degree in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Nuclear Engineering. Tikvah credits her accomplishments to her family, her parents, her younger sister, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Tikvah commented, “Everything I do comes from Jesus. I was raised in church, but I knew that last year it was time to take ownership of my own faith. Especially as I plan to move so far away.” 

Her young faith has been tested. You can tell when Tikvah tells the story of how she overcame an accident that caused her a severe injury. She was walking barefoot at an outdoor party when she accidentally stepped on something hot. The resulting third-degree burn was painless due to nerve damage in her foot, but recovery still required three weeks on crutches. 

“I am beyond grateful for that burn … because it gave me an inner strength brought out through outer weakness. “ 

Her sister, whom she describes as “My best friend in the whole world,” supported her consistently and without judgment. During that time, Tikvah learned a life-changing lesson – that requesting or accepting help does not signal weakness but rather demonstrates trust and mutual support.  

“We as humans are social creatures. We get where we get together. I have never really been alone.”