Beneficiaries
Had I not secured a scholarship I would have been unable to complete my college education.
Laura Pruitt
Laura Pruitt
"I was born to be a psychologist. In fourth grade, I set up an Ask Laura booth on the playground and charged my 'clients' a nickel for my advice. Growing up in rural Oklahoma, I didn't even know what a psychologist was. My teachers pushed me to do girl's stuff. We were expected to graduate from high school and go right to work as a secretary or waitress.
"When you're not exposed to bigger and better things, to possibility and potential, you have a limited scope. It wasn't until later in life, after I moved to Dallas and got a job and got married, that I realized I was capable of much more in life.
"Had I not secured a scholarship I would have been unable to complete my college education. It wasn't just the cost of tuition and fees and books, but the cost of taking care of my son. I'm a single mom and I'm a long ways from home, from my support system.
"A scholarship gives hope. I'm the first member of my family who will graduate from college. My son is watching me do this. He now sees that college is possible, that it's not just some dream. When I got my scholarship, I told my mom, 'This is for my whole family not just for me.'"
Andy Spencer
In high school I decided I wanted to study theoretical physics. Utah State had the best program in the state
Andy Spencer
"As far back as I can remember I've always been deeply interested in math and science. My brother and I had a telescope and during a solar eclipse we used it to project and trace the image of the sun onto a piece of paper. I still have that piece of paper.
"In high school I decided I wanted to study theoretical physics. Utah State had the best program in the state. My parents are both college graduates and they supported my goals but they couldn't afford to pay my way. They had five children to educate on my dad's modest income as the owner of a small business in Vernal, Utah.
"Had I not gotten a scholarship, my college education would have been delayed. I would have had to work and save money for college. My scholarship enables me to take a heavy load of math and physics classes.
"What I love about physics is that you never know what to expect. When you see deeply into things, you're always taken by surprise. You didn't realize that nature could act that way."
"I'm going to apply to Ph.D. programs at Stanford and Berkeley. I want to do research. I don't know exactly where my life is going. But I'm willing to be taken by surprise. That's my whole approach to life, to find out what there is, just like you do with every physics experiment. It's best to leave some things to uncertainty."
A college education teaches you to look at all the angles and to think outside the box.
Jenny Cummings
Jenny Cummings
"I'm from Rexburg, Idaho. My parents could not afford to pay the out-of-state tuition. They're divorced and my dad is a retired railroad worker. If it weren't for my scholarship, I would have to work full-time, which would really interfere with my studies. I work part-time at the mall, and I definitely do not want to do that for the rest of my life. I want to exercise my brain.
"A college education teaches you to look at all the angles and to think outside the box. Someday I'd like to work in a lab and do research in forensics. You have to solve "the mystery," and there is so much information that can be gleaned from bones. It would be satisfying to bring closure to families."
"I am the youngest of three. I'll be the first college graduate in my family."
Lafe Conner
The fact that someone believes in me inspires me to do great things as a teacher.
Lafe Conner
"As a peer advisor I would meet with students to help them accomplish their dreams. I realized I wasn't accomplishing mine. I was studying conservation ecology at the time, with the help of two scholarships. I decided to pursue a degree in education. I didn't have a scholarship for that major. My wife and I were both going to school and we didn't know how we were going to make it work. It was a big sacrifice at first."
"But I had to stick to my dream. My dad directed a Boy's Scout camp in Wyoming, and the wilderness has always been a part of my life. My parents were both teachers. By becoming a teacher, I could not only repay the teachers who have given me so much, but educate young people about the importance of preserving wilderness."
"Soon after switching majors, I got another scholarship. The fact that someone believes in me inspires me to do great things as a teacher."
My scholarships have enabled me to spend as much time as possible researching.
Stephanie Chambers
Stephanie Chambers
"In high school science classes, there was a lot of memorizing and testing, but nothing hands on, nothing that really grabbed hold of my interest. The summer between my sophomore and junior years, I was a research intern at a University of Utah lab. Something clicked. The best kind of learning is when you discover something yourself for the first time. It gives you a sense of ownership."
"I wanted to be a researcher. At Utah State, I've studied cardiovascular diseases and researched gene manipulation in hopes of reducing the cholesterol production that contributes to those diseases."
"My scholarships have enabled me to spend as much time as possible researching. These scholarships are also stepping stones for getting financial support for graduate school."
"When I learned that I was nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship, I felt honored. No matter what happens with that, I want to continue with my research and go to medical school."
"As someone said in a recent radio interview, 'I love waking up in the morning and going to work. And I love going to bed at night knowing more than I did at breakfast."
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