The time of year has come again when Bellevue LifeSpring’s scholarship recipients are heading back to college or, in this fall’s case, transitioning to remote learning.
This year, low-income students face many new complex challenges. They must quickly adapt to distance learning, whether they are prepared and ready for it or not. Some students will have to complete school work in a resource-limited living situation.
The most significant challenge, the financial burden of paying for college, has also been amplified during the COVID-19 crisis. Your support is helping to ease their financial stress. Thanks to you, we have awarded 16 students with college scholarships for the 2020/2021 school year.
In addition to studying hard, these students have been committed to spending their time outside of schoolwork investing in their community. Hear from a few of them about how they spent time last school year enriching their community through service:
Meet Emily
Emily is entering her final year at the University of Washington and majoring in business administration and marketing. She shared that receiving the Bellevue LifeSpring scholarship has allowed her to focus on developing her skills without having to deal with worrying about how to pay for housing or textbooks.
Emily stays busy with making campus a better place. “I represent 2,500 women in our Student Senate and advocate for changes that will benefit all students at UW,” shared Emily. “This year the Executive Board I sit on has made strides to eliminate sexual assault within the community and build a more cohesive community that is inclusive and open-minded. Being able to serve the community and make changes that impact so many women has been one of the most gratifying experiences.”
Meet Nancy
Nancy is studying nursing at the University of Washington. The Bellevue LifeSpring scholarship has been a big relief for Nancy. It has enabled her to work less, study more and become more involved at her university. She is grateful that this opportunity has allowed her to continue working towards her dream of becoming a nurse.
This past year Nancy volunteered at the University of Washington Medical Center, helping in the postpartum unit. “I’ve been able to assist nurses and nursing assistants, helping in any way to make their day as easy as possible,” said Nancy. Nancy also helped to open a clinic that provides free medical care for people in need. “We went to communities with the highest level of poverty and through our service, we were able to help many families, which I feel extremely blessed to have been a part of,” she shared.
Meet Ramou
Ramou is beginning her final year at the University of Washington and majoring in geographic information systems. “The Bellevue LifeSpring scholarship was just the boost that I needed this past year,” she shared. Ramou, who is an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers, helps organize events that inspire young Black students to pursue careers in technology and engineering.
“I got the chance to volunteer at a local elementary school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and paint a mural of successful civil rights leaders. This was very profound for me, as we got to be a part of enriching the students’ everyday lives by reminding them of what they can do, be and achieve,” said Ramou. “We also hosted and organized the annual Diversity Career Fair at UW. We invited hundreds of companies to come and hire engineering students, specifically those from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Meet Andy
Andy is a junior at the University of Washington, studying psychology. For Andy, the Bellevue LifeSpring scholarship is a stepping stone to fulfilling his dreams of graduating from college. “As a Latino, I believe that it is important for me to embark on this higher education journey to show my community that graduating from college is within their grasps,” Andy shared. “The scholarship has taken off some of the large financial burden so I’m able to focus on my schoolwork.”
Last year Andy had the chance to volunteer with a local company that helps provide jobs for people with disabilities. He helped teach these individuals how to use the equipment and worked alongside them on projects. Andy shared his gratitude for the valuable experience and the chance to give back to his Bellevue community.
Get Involved
Bellevue LifeSpring is immensely proud of all our scholarship recipients. These students are Bellevue’s future nurses, journalists, social workers, engineers, business executives and more! We wish them the best of luck on the road ahead.
Learn more about how you can continue to help support students like Andy, Emily, Nancy and Ramou.
