Category: JustJobs Scholarship

We are proud to announce that Lucy Rawson, who studies psychology at Wake Forest University, has won our 2017 JustJobs Scholarship award.

Lucy’s essay was inspirational and thoughtful. Lucy declared her major in psychology her sophomore year after observing the impact that mental illness has in the college-aged population. She has always been fascinated by the study of the mind, and from a young age, she fostered a strong inclination to help others work through their struggles. When she went to college, the need for mental health professionals became apparent to her. She has chosen her course of study because she believes that mental health is just as important, if not more important, than physical health.

Lucy’s openness, passion, and obvious drive will no doubt allow her success in her chosen career as a mental health counselor.

The six finalists – Lucy Rawson, Andrew Goldstein, Tracy Egbas, Lily Nelson, Hannah Dunaway and Nicholas Hallstedt– were selected from hundreds of other applicants for their dedication to learning, desire to make a positive impact on the world, and conviction to succeed as professionals. Choosing one winner was an incredibly difficult decision considering the exceptional student applicants and quality of their essays.

We want to thank our site visitors and all who voted to help us select a winner. The support shown through positive comments left for these students affirms both their career paths and the wonderful impact they already have on the lives of others.

To apply for the next JustJobs Scholarship, visit the scholarship page and check if your school has registered for the program.

[W]e are proud to announce the six finalists for the 2017 JustJobs Scholarship award; they include students in Clinical Psychology, Film Production, Engineering, Law, Psychology, and Journalism.  We received hundreds of exceptional applications, but we feel that these candidates showed the best combination of passion, integrity, and dedication to their chosen fields of study.

Now we need your help in choosing the one scholarship award winner!  The final selection process will involve three different factors:

1.   outside voting (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media options on the left side of the essays)
2.   comments left by visitors
3.   the JustJobs Scholarship committee’s scoring of the student’s application and essay

The one winner will be announced on Friday, July 14th.  Please help us with our selection by voting for your favorite essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options on the left side of the essays) and by leaving comments or clicking the ‘star’ icon above the comments section.

Lily Nelson, Clinical Psychology

I was lying in a hospital bed, shortly after brain surgery, experiencing the same sense of loss and angst I had felt after losing my father. It was at this moment that my interests in clinical psychology became more focused on the goal of studying and treating child and adolescent anxiety and depression. This realization built upon the general sense I had as a teen that I wished to pursue a career in helping others. The concept of therapy and counseling was something I had an interest in as early as age 13, and by my junior year in high school, I knew that I wanted to study psychology…

Tracy Egbas, Film Production

In the little rural town in Lagos, Nigeria where I grew up, children had to create their own entertainment. After school, they would gather together to play sing-a-long games and create frenzied contests. I was the child who preferred to sit alone in a corner, engrossed in a storybook. The fables about Mr. Tortoise and his near fatal fall from heaven or how he challenged the hare to a marathon; these were the tales that whetted my imagination. I would make up my own stories: about an old woman’s lonely tooth, or Okon’s bicycle tires that quarreled and refused to move in the same direction…

Nicholas Hallstedt, Engineering

When I was in high school, I had a pretty rough time compared to other friends. I made a lot of poor choices, and these reflected on my academic performance. But I still managed to graduate from high school with a 3.6 GPA. During my senior year, my father and I found a 1968 Chevrolet C10 truck at an auction site. It was rusted like none other but the frame was solid, so it stole my heart. We purchased it for $1700 and brought it home to our garage in suburbia so I could work on it. When this happened, things changed in my life…

Hannah Dunaway, Law

Growing up, I always knew that college was in my future; I come from a middle-class family who simply expected me to go. When I was twelve, I decided I wanted to go to law school. My path seemed set from the day I was born, and so did those of my older sister and the younger one. So I headed off to college my freshman year, ready to get an undergraduate degree in Economics before heading to law school…

Lucy Rawson, Psychology

I declared my major in psychology my sophomore year after observing the impact that mental illness has in the college-aged population. I have always been fascinated by the study of the mind, and from a young age, I fostered a strong inclination to help others work through their struggles. When I came to college, the need for mental health professionals became so apparent to me. In a society that promotes healthy living, psychological well-being is often downplayed. I have chosen my course of study because I believe that mental health is just as important, if not more important, than physical health…

Andrew Goldstein, Journalism

Ever since first grade, or around the time it became apparent that a pro football career was not in my future, I’ve had only one career goal: to be a sportscaster. And why wouldn’t I? Watching sporting events and talking about them is what people with actual jobs do for fun and for free. Other people work late because their boss wants the report done ASAP. When I work late, it’s because a basketball game went to overtime. For sports fans, anchoring a nightly segment about sports is like working in a candy store…

Growing up, I always knew that college was in my future; I come from a middle-class family who simply expected me to go. When I was twelve, I decided I wanted to go to law school. My path seemed set from the day I was born, and so did those of my older sister and the younger one. So I headed off to college my freshman year, ready to get an undergraduate degree in Economics before heading to law school.

I am one of the few and far people you will find that genuinely believes economics is the greatest thing to ever happen to the world. I genuinely find it to be fascinating and useful, and it is just the right degree of challenging. My future was set from day one, and I had no questions about it.

Halfway into my first semester, however, I received a call from my sister wherein she told me she was dropping out of college. She didn’t want to finish the semester; she was completely and utterly done with it. It seemed such a contradiction to my own experience: I loved college, my friends, and freedom. I believe it was this moment that really shaped my college career.

Though I support my sister no matter what her decisions are, and I know her decision was for the best, it put a lot of pressure on me to succeed. My parents were no longer looking at two daughters to succeed in college, but only at one. It made me feel the need to work harder to make up for my sister’s decision to drop out. I couldn’t bear the idea of throwing away the money of my parents, as they helped both of us through college, and I felt like I had to make up for the cash they’d given to my sister.

The biggest obstacle for me was trying to ensure that I did my best and did not slack; I did not want to disappoint my parents. I locked myself in my room at times, and I didn’t always hang out with my friends when they got together. I really sacrificed a social life to get my schoolwork done. And I believe it is because of this that I can truly thank my parents for my newfound work ethic in college. It was a reminder that sometimes you have to do the things you don’t want to but in the end are so much worth it.

As I am nearing graduation, I look at the classes I have left to take and am amazed. I cannot believe that I was a freshman with rosy-eyed glasses in college not too long ago. Now that I’ve taken those hard classes and learned the importance of work ethic, I am more than excited to pursue my twelve-year-old self’s dream of going to law school.

We are proud to announce Hannah Dunaway is one of the current JustJobs Scholarship finalists. Vote for her essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options in left column), click the ‘heart’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

Ever since first grade, or around the time it became apparent that a pro football career was not in my future, I’ve had only one career goal: to be a sportscaster. And why wouldn’t I? Watching sporting events and talking about them is what people with actual jobs do for fun and for free. Other people work late because their boss wants the report done ASAP. When I work late, it’s because a basketball game went to overtime. For sports fans, anchoring a nightly segment about sports is like working in a candy store.

This dream inspired me to study journalism. My passion outside of sports has always been communication: reading, writing, public speaking—anything that allows people to share stories and ideas. As a child, I always likened sportscasters to professional fans, but studying journalism has shown me the difference.

The revelation came last semester, when a professor told me, “people are attracted to people. Always put the human element first in your stories.” What he was really trying to tell me was that sports journalism is not really focused on the sport itself. Rather, it’s about the people that are bound together by them. It’s about the shooting guard that’s studying biomedical sciences to honor her brother’s fight with cancer. It’s about the volleyball player that’s still playing despite severed tendons in her ankle because she feels obligated to the team. That’s the important stuff, and that’s what studying journalism has taught me to care about.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle in my life has been my mother’s illness. She contracted a rare autoimmune disease when I was seven years old that inflamed her muscles to the point where she couldn’t use them. For the next three-and-a-half years, I went through school with only one parent while my mom learned to walk, chew and perform basic bodily functions again.

I don’t want to make it sound like it was that bad on my end; mom was the truly brave one. But I am proud of the fact that I did everything possible to make it easier on my parents. Learning and getting good grades became even more of a priority because it would be a bright spot in an otherwise difficult time for mom and dad. The habits that were developed back then continue to today.

Graduating college would mean a lot, but it is not enough for me to just graduate. I’ve started off with a lot of advantages in life that could make graduating merely easy. This is why I want not only to graduate in the top one percent of my class but also to speak at the graduation ceremony. Most of all, I want to have a television job waiting for me after that ceremony is over. All of this would mean a lot more because I know I’m capable of it, and nothing is better than living up to the standards that you know you are capable of reaching.

We are proud to announce Andrew Goldstein is one of the current JustJobs Scholarship finalists. Vote for his essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options in left column), click the ‘heart’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

In the little rural town in Lagos, Nigeria where I grew up, children had to create their own entertainment. After school, they would gather together to play sing-a-long games and create frenzied contests. I was the child who preferred to sit alone in a corner, engrossed in a storybook. The fables about Mr. Tortoise and his near fatal fall from heaven or how he challenged the hare to a marathon; these were the tales that whetted my imagination. I would make up my own stories: about an old woman’s lonely tooth, or Okon’s bicycle tires that quarreled and refused to move in the same direction.

I was drawn to the western sitcom reruns on our tiny black and white TV. I was intrigued by the unusual people I saw, and the strange things they talked about. To me, they belonged in a far, far away reality, one that felt utterly inaccessible. And then one day, a new program came on: Tales by Moonlight. It dramatized my favorite folktales; this time, however, the people looked and spoke like me. Suddenly, the stories that were confined to the pages of my book came magically alive. I knew, instinctively, that this was what I would do for the rest of my life.

Holding tightly to this dream, I worked hard enough to eventually receive a full scholarship to an American university. It was one of the happiest days of my life. It was proof that there was nothing I couldn’t achieve. Being a female child from a community like mine, however, meant that such a golden opportunity came with hefty expectations. My father said to me, “Now it is time to do something useful with your life, and forget all that childish daydreaming”.

I soon realized that every international student in my school was reading about Medicine or Engineering. Careers in the Arts were considered irresponsible. But, against the wishes of my family, I became the first international student I knew to choose a major in film. Staying true to this dream has been intensely challenging. There have been times—when looking for another couch to spend the night on or struggling to raise the money to survive—I have wondered if it was worth it. Were the naysayers right, after all?

The answer to that question came about a month ago when I received admission into the best film program in the country. I am in complete disbelief that a little girl from an unknown town in Africa gets the chance to study in the same institution that produced filmmaking giants like Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas. It is more than a dream come true; it is a story for every woman, every African: truly, if you can dream it, you can achieve it. Receiving this scholarship will bring me closer to fulfilling this dream, this unfolding tale that has the potential to ignite a fire in the heart of every dreamer; it is a fire that no obstacle or adversity can quench.

We are proud to announce Tracy Egbas is one of the current JustJobs Scholarship finalists. Vote for her essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options in left column), click the ‘heart’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process

I was lying in a hospital bed, shortly after brain surgery, experiencing the same sense of loss and angst I had felt after losing my father. It was at this moment that my interests in clinical psychology became more focused on the goal of studying and treating child and adolescent anxiety and depression. This realization built upon the general sense I had as a teen that I wished to pursue a career in helping others. The concept of therapy and counseling was something I had an interest in as early as age 13, and by my junior year in high school, I knew that I wanted to study psychology in college. Prior to surgery, I had already developed a passion for studying this captivating field. At first, I wanted to earn a medical degree. However, early into my college education, I realized my goal was to earn a doctoral degree in clinical psychology because positive mental health is something that I value and believe is just as important as physical health.

My undergraduate experience at the University of Florida includes serving for four years as a research assistant, a time-intensive commitment to many hours designing experiments and integrating data for various projects I participated in. Additionally, I was accepted for a teaching assistant position for an upper-level psychology course and found the teaching experience challenged me to learn even more about psychology.

Furthermore, an internship at Clinical Psychology Associates of North Central Florida provided me with insight into the demands of clinical evaluation and treatment by psychologists and neuropsychologists in private practice. I was able to participate in a complex clinical milieu that involved multiple providers and assistants serving a private clinic population that provided demanding comprehensive neuropsychological assessments. My experiences in a social service internship at Pace Center for Girls reinforced my interest and enthusiasm in studying and helping youth who have experienced major stress and trauma. This internship made me realize how important diversity and social justice are to me. The challenges the children and teens in the program face inspire me to face my own challenges and succeed in my professional development in order to ultimately give back to a community that has unknowingly given me so much.

I had neurosurgery at age 21, which followed efforts to cure epilepsy, a disability that I developed at age 16. The surgery was successful, the recovery difficult, but ultimately it allowed me to continue in my research activities and pursue experience in clinical settings. After my acute recovery and a need for rest and rehabilitation, I started working two jobs to support myself before resuming my studies. Miraculously, I have been able to balance working full-time, going to school full time, and maintaining part-time research assistantships and internships. This personal experience makes me confident about my resilience, perseverance, and willingness to devote myself to reach my goal of becoming a clinical child psychologist.

We are proud to announce Lily Nelson is one of the current JustJobs Scholarship finalists. Vote for her essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options in left column), click the ‘heart’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

When I was in high school, I had a pretty rough time compared to other friends. I made a lot of poor choices, and these reflected on my academic performance. But I still managed to graduate from high school with a 3.6 GPA. During my senior year, my father and I found a 1968 Chevrolet C10 truck at an auction site. It was rusted like none other but the frame was solid, so it stole my heart. We purchased it for $1700 and brought it home to our garage in suburbia so I could work on it. When this happened, things changed in my life. I had a concrete goal: to rebuild this machine and get it running again. During this process, I realized something that is incredibly important to my life today: I loved learning. I taught myself how to rebuild that truck using the internet and the advice from my down-the-street neighbor who had a fully rebuilt GTO. This realization ultimately led me to pursue my education with vigor, and this became evident in my last semester of high school.

Because of this automotive experience, I decided to go to Kettering University. There, I study mechanical engineering with a specialty in automotive engineering. My first semester at Kettering was difficult; I had to adjust to living on my own and being in charge of my own time. I had significant health issues during my first two semesters, and I often had two or three doctor appointments each week in addition to a full class load. I struggled mentally with my chaotic life but still performed decently in academics during my first 2 semesters. At times, I would go to class but need to leave after only five minutes because of my health problems. When I finally overcame these in between my second and third semesters, I invested my new energy into schooling. This allowed me to obtain a 4.0 GPA for my third and fourth terms at Kettering.

The engineering degree is a stepping stone for me. I already have significant work experience in my field of study due to co-op terms and internships, which place me well ahead of my peers from other schools. I will use my degree to ultimately work in the automotive field designing vehicles. I have dreamed about doing so since I started working on my Chevy truck, and the attainment of my goals will enable me to help others. I plan on tutoring other students during my next term at school and am looking forward to donating money for alumni-sourced scholarships once I graduate. I want to be able to help other students like myself who strive for advancement and learning. With this degree and financial support, I hope to be capable of doing so.

We are proud to announce Nicholas Hallstedt is one of the current JustJobs Scholarship finalists. Vote for his essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options in left column), click the ‘heart’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

I declared my major in psychology my sophomore year after observing the impact that mental illness has in the college-aged population. I have always been fascinated by the study of the mind, and from a young age, I fostered a strong inclination to help others work through their struggles. When I came to college, the need for mental health professionals became so apparent to me. In a society that promotes healthy living, psychological well-being is often downplayed. I have chosen my course of study because I believe that mental health is just as important, if not more important, than physical health.

I myself was diagnosed with major depressive disorder my senior year of high school. Throughout my adolescence, I held myself to extremely high standards in terms of my achievements. In my mind, if my performance (whether it be on a test, in a sports game, or within social roles) was not the best, then I had failed. This toxic mindset sent me spiraling into two years of feeling so low that I could no longer carry on with my normal lifestyle. I no longer saw the point in all of the activities I used to engage in and I lost any of the joy that used to accompany my achievements. The spring of my senior year in high school, I chose to seek out help and was so fortunate to have clicked immediately with my therapist. She helped to talk through the unhealthy cognitions I had held towards attaining success and brought me out of the dark place I had been in for what seemed like forever. It was not easy to change the mindset that I had been stuck in for the past five years, but with the help of professional psychologists and psychiatrists, I was able to overcome these irrational, maladaptive thinking patterns and ultimately start living again.

I hope to be able to assist others in the way that I was helped during my time of mental strife by graduating with a degree in psychology and pursuing further certification as a mental health counselor.  Having someone who listens and understands, who is willing to take the time to figure out the best course of action, and who will advocate that mental illness is just as disabling as any physical illness is critical in times of emotional stress. To become a licensed clinical professional counselor would mean I get to play a role in supporting those who feel like the world has given up on them. Being able to provide a positive impact in the lives of patients who feel emotionally and mentally unsteady, the way I and millions of others have felt at some point in life, would be the most intrinsically rewarding career path to follow. Graduating with this degree will enable me the opportunity to touch countless lives and hopefully eradicate some of the stigma surrounding mental illness.

We are proud to announce Lucy Rawson is one of the current JustJobs Scholarship finalists. Vote for her essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options in left column), click the ‘heart’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

We are proud to announce that Jendayi Johnson, a Communication Sciences and Disorders student at Columbia University, has won our 2016 JustJobs Scholarship award.

Jendayi’s essay was inspirational and thoughtful. Jendayi was interested in becoming a speech-language pathologist after her grandmother “suffered a stroke that limited her ability to speak”. According to Jendayi, “it was impressive to see a professional use her degree to help someone who had lost such a fundamental skill regain her speech capabilities”. Throughout her college career, however, she has had to overcome the belief she “wasn’t good enough to handle the demands of college”. After overcoming many obstacles, Jendayi is now pursuing a masters degree that will be the first step of many towards achieving her goal of fortifying her “clients’ abilities to communicate their thoughts, opinions, and desires” and continuing on the trajectory that other Black scholars who came before her created.

Jendayi’s intelligence, passion, and obvious drive will no doubt allow her success in her chosen career as a Speech-Language Pathologist.

The six finalists – Jendayi Johnson, Raz Tzameret, George Nail, Preston Lingle, Antonio Sakkis and Jacob Huls – were selected from hundreds of other applicants for their dedication to learning, desire to make a positive impact on the world, and how their incredible stories have helped mold their future career paths. Choosing one winner was an incredibly difficult decision considering the exceptional student applicants and quality of their essays.

We want to thank our site visitors and all who voted to help us select a winner. The support shown through positive comments left for these students affirms both their career paths and the wonderful impact they already have on the lives of others.

To apply for the next JustJobs Scholarship, visit the scholarship page and check if your school has registered for the program.

Majoring in Jazz Performance meant overcoming fear. When I began planning for college, I didn’t know what to study. Music was my passion, but the whole starving artist image terrified me. I doubted I could make it as a performer, but performing was all I wanted to do. For a while, I considered studying health care like my parents and maybe playing in a band on the side. Although I never had much enthusiasm for that idea. I wanted to attend a college with a good school for my major, but without a major I was stuck. No way forward.

Even with my parents’ help, I couldn’t make a decision. Spring of junior year I was still stuck. Then my mom asked me, “Nathan, where do you see yourself in ten years?” And I thought it over. All the years learning music and all the joy of performing. My accomplishments and my potential. The terror of the starving artist faded away. I saw myself ten years down the line. A musician.

Jazz Performance is more than playing music. Teaching, marketing, and group leading have all been vital to my success as a performer. When I became the leader of a jazz combo called Groove Atlas, there were only a few experienced players available to me. I had to quickly create an extremely efficient method to teach the younger musicians how to play jazz. We performed together all year.

Leadership is as challenging in music as in any other discipline. Booking gigs. Organizing rehearsals. Providing sheet music for everyone. It is an exercise in patience as well as time management. Biting a saxophonist’s head off for missing rehearsal is a sure-fire way to lose a saxophonist. Sometimes difficult decisions have to be made. The pianist was very young. Not ready for a certain performance we had planned. As much as I wanted to keep the band together, I had to take her off the roster that day and call in a more experienced player. I felt awful, but it has prepared me to face similar dilemmas in the future.

Learning to advertise the brand is imperative. If nobody knows about the gig, nobody comes, and nobody gets paid. I had a wake-up call. Groove Atlas was performing regularly at a restaurant called Talayna’s, and the owner wanted us to bring more people. Social media became a valuable tool for advertising. I even dealt with other artists, promoting their shows in exchange for help promoting mine. Friends of mine offered services like flyer design and recording that gave me more content to spread around.

Jazz Performance means having the skills to work on a bandstand. In my case, it also means adopting these additional skills to maximize my potential as an artist. Jazz Performance is working with others, leading, and listening. When I graduate, I will be fully fledged Jazz Performer. A musician.

We are proud to announce Nathan Rauscher is one of the current JustJobs Scholarship finalists. Vote for his essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options in left column), click the ‘heart’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.