Shin Scholarship
Samuel Injae Shin
Samuel was born in Provo, Utah on March 5, 1988 to his parents, Yong-In Spencer and Hyosun Camilla Shin. He attended schools in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Seoul International High School in Korea in 2006. Samuel attended Brigham Young University and was awarded with the Heritage Scholarship. He graduated from BYU with B.S. and M.S. degrees in Neuroscience in 2011 and 2013 respectively. Samuel served his LDS mission in the California Arcadia Mission from 2007 to 2009.
Samuel’s mission president, Oscar Pike, wrote in Samuel’s release letter to his Stake President “Elder Shin is one of those missionaries a mission president wishes he could clone, sending one home and keeping the other in the field.” Samuel’s mentor in the Neuroscience Center at BYU, Professor Steffensen, wrote “Sam became my right-hand man. Unlike many others that seemed put-out by my requests, I could always count on asking him to do something and have him follow through. His work was what led to a $2.1 million NIDA grant in 2014.” After Samuel graduated from BYU, he took a job at Oregon Health and Science University as a research associate. His manager, Professor Courtenay Carlson, wrote “Samuel was very hard working and an amazing scientist!” Samuel was very gifted with intelligence, a good work ethic, and a sense of humor. Samuel had a thirst for knowledge, and he loved his research work in the neuroscience field. Samuel had many interests: photography, piano, rock climbing, basketball, snowboarding, and various other outdoor activities. He spoke multiple languages including Spanish, Korean and Dutch. One of his counselors said, “With a testimony anchored in Christ….Joy understands God’s plan of salvation and allows us to overcome selfishness and helps us to truly forget ourselves.” He was loved and respected by many around him.
Samuel had a rock climbing accident at Cascade Water Falls in Oregon as he was trying to help an injured friend, and passed away on August 13, 2016. At the time of the accident, he was serving as the Elder’s Quorum President in a singles ward of the Beaverton Oregon Stake. He always loved to serve others quietly. His parents, four sisters, one brother, brothers and sisters in-laws, and eight nephews and nieces all claim Samuel as his or her “favorite.” He left a legacy of faith, obedience, integrity, and a love of God and of fellow men.
The Samuel Injae Shin Scholarship is a way to continue his legacy as a life-long learner in the neuroscience field as well as his example of a righteous life.
Samuel’s mission president, Oscar Pike, wrote in Samuel’s release letter to his Stake President “Elder Shin is one of those missionaries a mission president wishes he could clone, sending one home and keeping the other in the field.” Samuel’s mentor in the Neuroscience Center at BYU, Professor Steffensen, wrote “Sam became my right-hand man. Unlike many others that seemed put-out by my requests, I could always count on asking him to do something and have him follow through. His work was what led to a $2.1 million NIDA grant in 2014.” After Samuel graduated from BYU, he took a job at Oregon Health and Science University as a research associate. His manager, Professor Courtenay Carlson, wrote “Samuel was very hard working and an amazing scientist!” Samuel was very gifted with intelligence, a good work ethic, and a sense of humor. Samuel had a thirst for knowledge, and he loved his research work in the neuroscience field. Samuel had many interests: photography, piano, rock climbing, basketball, snowboarding, and various other outdoor activities. He spoke multiple languages including Spanish, Korean and Dutch. One of his counselors said, “With a testimony anchored in Christ….Joy understands God’s plan of salvation and allows us to overcome selfishness and helps us to truly forget ourselves.” He was loved and respected by many around him.
Samuel had a rock climbing accident at Cascade Water Falls in Oregon as he was trying to help an injured friend, and passed away on August 13, 2016. At the time of the accident, he was serving as the Elder’s Quorum President in a singles ward of the Beaverton Oregon Stake. He always loved to serve others quietly. His parents, four sisters, one brother, brothers and sisters in-laws, and eight nephews and nieces all claim Samuel as his or her “favorite.” He left a legacy of faith, obedience, integrity, and a love of God and of fellow men.
The Samuel Injae Shin Scholarship is a way to continue his legacy as a life-long learner in the neuroscience field as well as his example of a righteous life.
Applications are due November 7th, 2025