This year, we were able to provide an educational scholarship to three great students at different stages of their educational careers. Students are participants of a CDA rental assistance program.
Abdikadir just graduated from high school and is on his way to St. Thomas in the fall. Abdikadir’s educational goals have been influenced by the pandemic. He wants to major in the healthcare field and hopes to become a doctor someday. Although he recognizes the hard work, commitment, and time that a healing profession takes, his larger goal is to change the healthcare system, one doctor at a time. During the pandemic he has seen people in his life not get the medical care they needed because of a distrust of the medical system or because they could not afford it. He wants to help the community by making medicine all about patient care and less about money. He is hoping to find other doctors with the same belief to bring about policy changes needed to make this happen.
“I have always been interested in healthcare but the past year has simply transformed this into a hard tangible goal. I want to step in and help a community and country that is woefully underprepared”.
Jamie will be a second year student at the University of Minnesota this fall. She selected her major before the pandemic and started on the pre-vet track. After her first year of college, she realized that while she loves animals, the veterinary field did not spark joy for her. She wants to have a profession that she is passionate about. After reading “Tales of the Shaman’s Apprentice” about at ethnobotanist who searches the Amazon Rain Forest for plants with medicinal qualities, she realized that Plant Science was something she was excited about and could possibly meet her other life goal of traveling the world, meeting, and connecting with people to learn about their culture and customs.
“The idea of searching for new plants in unknown places fascinates me and would allow me to travel the world.”
Jennifer is a non-traditional and first generation college student. Although she hoped to go to college after high school, she found she needed to get right to work to support her family. Several years later, after becoming addicted to opioids, she found herself out of a job, homeless, and worst of all, had lost her family. After hitting rock bottom, she took the steps to get sober and has been in recovery since 2018. Part of rebuilding her life was attaining education. She began a program at Century College for a computer certificate and now is completing a two-year Business Management program. Her goal is to finish this degree and use her education to get a job with a larger company that offers tuition reimbursement so that she can continue her education to complete a Bachelors in Business. To Jennifer, this scholarship means achieving her dream of becoming a college graduate and building a career that allows her to financially support her three beautiful children.
“I have experienced a life-long love of learning and never gave up the hope that I would find a way to educate myself someday”.
Congratulations Abdikadir, Jamie, and Jennifer and best wishes in your educational journey!
