Cathedral Scholars Letters of Impact to Donors

Each year, our Cathedral Scholars write to the donors who make their education possible. We are glad to share a few of this year's letters here. In their own words, these students describe what your generosity has meant: degrees completed, first jobs and internships, graduate school acceptances, and the steady encouragement of a mentor through a hard year. To everyone who gives to the Cathedral Scholars Fund, thank you. Your gifts do more than ease the cost of college. They tell these students that a community believes in them, and as you will read, they have taken that to heart.

 

Courtney Craft

Thank you for generously supporting and investing in students like me. Because of you, this past year at the University of Georgia has been extremely transformative. As I entered my upperclassman year, I took on much more responsibility and challenged myself both academically and personally. I am proud to have maintained presidential scholar status by making great grades while also pushing myself to grow in new ways. As I look ahead to my final year of college, I feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness, but most importantly preparedness, to attack any challenges that come my way.

This past school year, I focused on getting more involved with activities in the local community. I served as a communications intern for a mayoral campaign in Athens, which allowed me to step beyond campus and truly connect with the city. I have met hundreds of people over these past nine months ranging from homeless residents to entrepreneurs and from single mothers to musicians. Listening to their stories and perspectives has really strengthened my passion for public service, and solidified that I want to pursue a career that allows me to be a vessel who lifts up voices that often go unheard.

Additionally, I completed my first full year as vice president of the National Association of Black Journalists at UGA. This role has given me the privilege of mentoring younger students and supporting them as they navigate their own college journeys. The role has been so rewarding because I see myself in them. I was in their shoes a few short years ago, so I love being their source of encouragement, and I can’t wait to do it again next school year.

Lastly, I’m so excited to be studying away in Washington, D.C., this summer through my Public Affairs Certificate program at UGA. I have never been to D.C., but I have dreamed of living and working there for as long as I can remember. I am thrilled to share that I have received an internship offer from Face the Nation at CBS News in D.C. This internship, combined with my academic studies, will be such a great opportunity for me to immerse myself in the world of political communications as I work to become a journalist who is committed to telling stories that put people first.

None of these experiences would have been possible without your support. The Cathedral Scholars Award has truly changed my life. It has allowed me to not only attend college but also to engage in opportunities that have prepared me to have a successful life and career after graduation. I am grateful for your generosity, and I am excited to be in your shoes someday, where I am able to give back and support students the way you have supported me. But until then, thank you.

Emmierose Scates

I am delighted to share recent updates on my educational journey. I have been accepted into a master's program for Family Nurse Practitioner at the University of North Georgia. To be transparent and vulnerable, one of the most pivotal moments that solidified my decision to pursue my MSN-FNP was earlier this year when I cared for a patient on comfort measures at the end of their life. During this shift, I watched as they took their last breath. Witnessing the fine line between life and death was a profound experience that caused me to reflect on my own priorities and goals for my future. I considered that I might be delaying my advancement in my education and career out of fear of rejection or the unknown; and what I realized during that particular shift was that I should not wait. I accepted that there are many unknowns and times of rejection that are inevitable in life, and I should not let that stop me from pursuing my passion or challenging myself to achieve more.

My short-term career goal as a family nurse practitioner is to provide evidence-based patient- centered care to people of all ages. Preventative care is especially important to me. I have personally witnessed the impact of cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders within my own family. It is so shocking and heartbreaking when someone you know is affected by health issues and you question if it is preventable and ask, “what if?” These experiences have strengthened my desire to be an advocate for early detection and recognition of health problems to improve patient outcomes.

My long-term career goal as an FNP is to become a confident leader and mentor of other nurses. I hope to contribute to a collaborative team that prioritizes patient safety and minimizes patient risk by implementing updated practices and protocols. Serving in these roles will allow me to give back to my community and will have a positive impact on the future of nursing.

The Cathedral Scholarship Program is vital in helping me pursue higher education. I have utilized the maximum state funding, such as HOPE, during my undergraduate studies; therefore, this scholarship allows me to advance in nursing practice. Financial aid for graduate programs is often limited to personal or private loans. The support of donors provides significant financial relief and allows me to focus on my studies rather than the burden of accruing debt. Compared to undergraduate students who may have the support of parents, student housing, or other resources, balancing work and other responsibilities in my adult life makes the decision to return to school more challenging. The Cathedral scholarship supported me during my BSN last year, and I am so grateful to continue to be a part of the program during my MSN. I cannot thank you enough, and I am humbled to speak of the positive impact of the Cathedral Scholars Program in my personal and professional life.

 

Marcell Whitfield

I wanted to start off this letter by saying how incredibly thankful I am for your generosity and encouragement throughout an adventurous senior year. Because of your support, this past year I was able to obtain my bachelor's degree in business with a concentration in accounting.

Senior year was a roller coaster of a ride, to say the least. Going into it, I had a clear idea of what I was pursuing with my degree, after having received insights from a couple of good conversations with colleagues and, most importantly, my mentor from Cathedral Scholars. My Cathedral Scholars mentor provided me with insightful feedback that helped navigate me throughout the year.

For those who don't know me as well as my mentor, I had a shake up during the first month of my senior year. My mom endured a life-threatening heart issue that led to a month-long coma, followed by paralysis from her chest down. Obviously, this is not how I had imagined my senior year would start, but it was time to face reality. With this incident happening, a lot of lifestyle changes came along with it, such as moving houses, picking up bills I previously didn't have to worry about, all while keeping my focus on my academics.

One of the first few people who reached out to me during such a noisy time was my Cathedral Scholars mentor. He made it well known that, on behalf of the Cathedral Scholars Committee, the church wanted to not only comfort me but to try and take a financial load off my shoulders. Because of this assistance, I was able to keep my education on track without the constant weight of financial worry.

The last few months of college were extremely busy, but I wouldn't want it any other way. On the career development side, I began my “busy season” income tax internship with a local accounting firm to gain hands-on experience in the field. Then, on the baseball side, as a senior captain, we were off to the best start in 20 years and even secured a playoff berth.

The time flew by and the memories built up as on May 16th I had officially become a graduate of Virginia Wesleyan University. With all the hard work and the relationships I had built during my internship, I was able to land a “full time” job at Anderson Edwards PLLC. There I will continue to elevate my career, as I plan to eventually become a Certified Public Accountant.

With that being said, I wish I could shake the hand of each and every single one of you. I want to thank you for everything you have done, as you don't understand the strong impact you had on a 22-year-old kid from Virginia Beach, Virginia.