Category: JustJobs Scholarship

[W]omen with dark skin drew me to the field of literacy. In Bolivia, people with the lightest skin are considered to be more beautiful, educated, and wealthy. Their skin is light because they were afforded the luxury of going to school indoors, working indoors and wearing sunscreen. The majority of people in Bolivia, women especially, have thick, dark, wrinkled skin and strong bodies. They farm and rear children in the hot sun at 9,000 feet above sea level their entire lives. They do not have time for school, as they need to tend to their farm to survive while many of their husbands spend the money they have on coca leaves and alcohol.

The children of these women do not go to school regularly because they also need to help cook and farm and raise children. They are often translators for their mothers who do not speak Spanish, but a language called Quechua. I was honored to teach a group of these women emergent Spanish literacy with the help of a few of their feisty bilingual children. They shared with me their desire to learn Spanish so they could sell their beautiful hand-woven wool blankets to tourists and gain freedom.

When I returned to the United States, I was dedicated to learning how to effectively teach literacy to those who may remain oppressed by their illiteracy. I am now studying to become a reading specialist at Columbia University, a place I never imagined my ADHD self would be capable attending. I was not diagnosed with ADHD until I was 20 years old, after years of therapy and incorrect diagnoses. I moved to Bolivia in the first place because I had just finished college and needed some time away from the structure of school. I ended my undergraduate degree in English strong; however, everyone in my family was surprised I even graduated high school.

My experience in education was a long, frustrating process. I am only now really figuring out how to effectively study and organize my work. When I was first diagnosed with ADHD I was frustrated with my all of my previous teachers and my parents for not knowing what was wrong, or helping me learn in a way that I could be successful. Now, I am grateful for the hardship, and I believe it has made me a more unique and passionate educator. As a reading specialist, I plan to continue to work in elementary schools where early literacy intervention can give freedom and choices to students with disabilities and students in low-income communities who often do not receive the right kind of teaching to support their unique way of learning. I want to be able to help the students I work with, and also help other teachers learn how to understand and teach students with differences.

We are proud to announce Erin Grigg 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 ‘star’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

[M]arine Corps. Mercy Corps. Peace Corps. Georgetown!

This is not only a list of challenges I have confronted and overcome (or soon will), but also a list of the reasons why I have decided to dedicate my life to international politics and more specifically, security studies.  I’ve actually known my career track since secondary school, when my social studies teacher got our class involved in a letter writing campaign to help a Buddhist monk who was being unjustly imprisoned.  This drastically changed my inward-focused, normal, teenage girl perspective and I began to understand the plight of different peoples from all over the world, on a whole new level.

After graduating I committed myself to serving my country and the freedoms we are so fortunate to have, for 6 years, in the Marine Corps Reserves.  Boot camp was one of the most challenging but worth-while experiences of my life.  It made me a stronger person both personally and professionally.  I learned more about how our country interacts with others, specifically during times of war and crisis.  I developed an interest in international conflict and a desire to innovate our policy and actions to benefit overall security and development in our own country as well as globally.  This goal was further solidified when a very close, personal friend lost his life in the war in Afghanistan. I knew that there must be a better way for modern-day political and developmental problems to be solved.

My undergraduate studies and study abroad experiences showed me yet more perspectives.  I studied many groups of thought in my academic field and continually put myself in situations where I was forced to confront my own positions.  From this I developed great insight into how and why others think the way they do, and how to solidify my own opinions, or sometimes even change them.
After graduating I sought out further opportunities to broaden my horizons and continue down my selected career track.  I subsequently worked for a large, international nonprofit, Mercy Corps, for over two years, and then joined the Peace Corps, serving in Africa for an additional two years. The realities of on-the-ground development work are drastically different than what you read in a textbook. I came to appreciate these additional challenges, but also the advantages provided by other cultures, that can positively influence complicated situations and even produce new solutions to problems not previously discovered.

I have now been accepted to and confirmed my attendance at Georgetown’s Masters in Foreign Service, Security Studies Program this fall.  I look forward to the additional challenges I will face, the insights I will gain, and the future this will provide.  I am committed to doing my part in making our country and our world a better and safer place.

As you can see, the word ‘corps’ is just a coincidence, but my path is quite intentional.

We are proud to announce Kristin Pettersen 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 ‘star’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

[W]e are proud to announce the seven finalists for the 2014 JustJobs Scholarship award, which include scientists, reading specialists, security experts, mediators and teachers.  We received thousands 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 Monday June 30th.  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.

 

Teryan Brown, Biology/Chemistry, Willamette University

I refused to stay in that place of grief and panic. I know the kind of person I want others to describe me as: a leader, smart, kind, and strong. I feel that these things are reflected in my everyday actions. The world around me may not be a fair one or easy to navigate, but I want to be one of the few dedicated to not giving in. I want to never give up, follow through with my word, and always help the people that surround me. This character is who I believe myself to be today.

Click to read Teryan’s entire essay and vote! 

Erin Grigg, Reading Specialist, Teachers College Columbia

When I returned to the United States, I was dedicated to learning how to effectively teach literacy to those who may remain oppressed by their illiteracy. I am now studying to become a reading specialist at Columbia University, a place I never imagined my ADHD self would be capable attending. I was not diagnosed with ADHD until I was 20 years old, after years of therapy and incorrect diagnoses. I moved to Bolivia in the first place because I had just finished college and needed some time away from the structure of school.

Click to read Erin’s entire essay and vote!

Kristin Pettersen, Security Studies, Georgetown

Boot camp was one of the most challenging but worth-while experiences of my life.  It made me a stronger person both personally and professionally.  I learned more about how our country interacts with others, specifically during times of war and crisis.  I developed an interest in international conflict and a desire to innovate our policy and actions to benefit overall security and development in our own country as well as globally.

Click to read Kristin’s entire essay and vote!

Amyn Rajan, Conflict Resolution, Georgetown

My decision to now pursue a degree in conflict resolution reflects my 18-year history in Pakistan as well as the experiences of other Pakistani youth. Like me, my friends boarded a crowded public bus on an ordinary day. Like me, they saw a man at the front of the bus— a man who was ordinary in every way except that he carried a gun. Amidst the frightening commotion, they also saw another ordinary man light the front two tires on fire.

Click to read Amyn’s entire essay and vote!

Meilinn Tram, Biochemistry, University of New Mexico

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Vietnam and China to meet my distant relatives. It was quite a culture shock for me because for the first time, I was exposed to extremely ill individuals. I discovered the cause, improperly disposed medical waste needles, which are extremely hazardous to leave lying around. This observation spurred me into researching sickness and medical waste disposal in other countries. I narrowed it down to researching vaccines and eventually my degree in biochemistry. I found that third world countries don’t have a government regulated system of disposal.

Click to read Meilinn’s entire essay and vote!

Aeloch Kim, Instructional Technology and Media, Teachers College Columbia

Another gunshot and ambulance siren after a few minutes – such familiar signs meant that I was going to attend another funeral for a friend’s family. Growing up as a foreigner in the worst neighborhood in Kazakhstan, I saw lives of the underprivileged. I was ten when my closest friend’s brother died from gang violence. At the funeral, I asked my mom, “wasn’t he a good guy, like Sonic the Hedgehog?”

Click to read Aeloch’s entire essay and vote!

Josie McKee, Human Development, Prescott College

I like to see people succeed. As a YOSAR technician, I have been put through many trying circumstances from dealing with fatalities to multiple-day, back-country searches in variable weather conditions. Through these and other personal experiences in the outdoors, I have begun to master mindfulness and personal strength, the tools that enhance growth and communication, and help people to succeed. As a guide and educator, I have helped inspire success, but I have also seen many failures. I have often struggled with how to help others understand how to cultivate more successful behaviors.

Click to read Josie’s entire essay and vote!

We are proud to announce that Yeona, a student at The University of California, Berkeley majoring in Social Welfare, has won our most recent JustJobs Scholarship award.

Yeona’s essay was inspirational and beautifully written.  She aspires to be “a social worker, advocating policies that protect and support the underpriveleged” after completion of her undergraduate degree, and hopes to attend graduate school at The University of Southern California for their Master of Social Work program.   She writes, “I have lived in an impoverished community….understood how it feels to go to bed hungry or worry about having enough money for transportation to school….Children in these communities don’t have the support systems that others do, and this is exactly what inspired me to make a difference in children’s lives.”

Yeona’s intelligence, selflessness, and obvious drive will no doubt allow her success in her chosen field of social work.

The finalists – Akanksha Arya, Yeona, Udo Obiechefu, Calvary Zender, and a student wishing to remaining anonymous – were selected from thousands 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.

We are proud to announce the finalists for the current JustJobs Scholarship award, which include future health advocates, scientists, teachers, social workers, and linguists.   We received thousands 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 Wednesday, June 5th.  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.

Akanksha Arya, Biology, Towson University

I chose to be a Biology major because I know that everyone has struggles and that in this fight against life we have so much to lose. We need our good health if we are going to succeed in our attempts to achieving our dreams. I wouldn’t be able to tell you where my family and I would be if along with our struggles we also had to deal with the burden of wavering health. We need our physical strength to support our emotional one. This is why after I graduate from Towson University I plan on going into research to find a cure for infectious diseases like Cancer and HIV.

Click to read Akanksha’s entire essay and vote!

Yeona, Social Welfare and Spanish, University of California, Berkeley

I have lived in an impoverished community. I have understood how it feels to go to bed hungry or worry about having enough money for transportation to school, all at a young age. I have seen first hand that there is a tremendous need for help in these places. At that time, I received assistance from those around me, but few realize how little they understand about the disadvantages that low-income children face. Children in these communities don’t have the support systems that others do, and this is exactly what inspired me to make a difference in children’s lives.

Click to read Yeona’s entire essay and vote!

Anonymous Student, Special Education, Armstrong Atlantic State University

I chose Special Education mid-way through my first semester and am so glad that I did. I can’t imagine now going back to Early Childhood. I just have such a heart for those students who are struggling because of various disabilities (which they did not choose for themselves), and want to be able to fight for them and help them reach their full potential. I can’t imagine the elation I will feel upon obtaining my degree, because for so long, all of this seemed so impossible.

Click to read this student’s entire essay and vote!

Udo Obiechefu, Public Health, Armstrong Atlantic State University

The goal of helping others and having a positive impact on someone’s well being has led me to this point. Aiding the public in the prevention of disease and attainment of optimum health is the core motivating factor that has driven me to attain my Master’s in Public Health. My core values have lead me to this point. The educational qualifications I am seeking are tools that will help me achieve my full professional and personal potential.

Click to read Udo’s entire essay and vote!

Calvary Zender, Linguistics & Japanese, University of New Mexico

My senior year I took German with my Spanish and French classes and, going out on a limb, I took a Japanese class. I was enamored by Japanese. By the time I received my diploma, I was a multilingual ‘A’ student excited to learn everything Linguistics and Foreign Languages had to offer me, and I decided I would start with Japanese…I can see myself aiding those outside of the US who need a court translator, and would otherwise not receive a proper hearing. 

Click to read Calvary’s entire essay and vote!

[M]ost children when asked what they want to be when they grow up respond with some of the answers that we are all familiar with. “I want to be a doctor”, “I want to be a lawyer” and “I want to play football”. Till this day I can still vividly remember my 2nd grade teacher asking me that question. Being the shy kid I was at the time I shrugged and said I didn’t know as a way to escape the pressure that comes with answering questions while the world, or in this case, second grade classmates watched. This answer was deemed unacceptable by my teacher so she framed the question a different way. “What makes you happy Udo?” After a few moments I responded with, “Helping people”.

The goal of helping others and having a positive impact on someone’s well being has led me to this point. Aiding the public in the prevention of disease and attainment of optimum health is the core motivating factor that has driven me to attain my Master’s in Public Health. My core values have lead me to this point. The educational qualifications I am seeking are tools that will help me achieve my full professional and personal potential.

After receiving my MPH I hope to attain a position in the field that affords me the opportunity to work directly with a population in need. Being able to have a direct and measurable impact on the population I serve is important to me. In August of 2011 I began my year of service with the Atlanta Health Corps, which is a public health component of the Americorps program. During my service I have had the opportunity to work in both the non-profit and government sectors. These experiences have showed me that having a sustainable impact can be achieved in any environment as long as there is passion and dedication to those that you serve. Receiving an MPH will equip me with the tools to enter any public health domain. I hope to become a leader among my peers within the public health community with a specific focus on infectious disease and also will look to conduct meaningful research within the infectious disease realm.

I did not immediately apply for graduate school following my graduation from Georgia Southern University. Having this period of time between my educational endeavors has allowed me to develop a path and a plan for my professional goals. I know looking back now that I would not have been ready to undertake the rigors of graduate study immediately following the completion of my bachelor’s degree. Almost four years later I feel that I am finally where I need to be. I have a passion for learning and a hunger for growth and I am truly excited about the path that I am on. For as much as this scholarship can do for me, you also will benefit from enabling a passionate, determined, and prepared student to further his goal of improving the lives of others.

We are proud to announce Udo Obiechefu 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 ‘star’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

[I] came from a home with a father who was extremely controlling, and did all he could to isolate my mother, myself and my brother. There were weeks on end when we didn’t even leave the house to go grocery shopping. My brother and I were “homeschooled”, our groceries were delivered, my father screamed and backhanded me because he couldn’t find his comb… and it was all pretty normal for us. At sixteen I was excited about going to college and getting a degree in journalism, but had my dreams dashed when my father told me that, because I was a girl, I was not allowed to leave the house. Upon my homeschool graduation, my mom enrolled me in a correspondence course and picked philosophy as my major. I hated it, and because they rarely had any money to pay for the courses, I made very little progress anyway.

Fast-forward ten years. I had escaped; I was married with a two year old little girl, and started thinking about “finishing” my degree. I have always had a passion for teaching and was excited to be able to choose a major in education – but I quickly ran into what seemed like an insurmountable obstacle. Without my knowledge, my parents had not registered me with the state for the last two years of “homeschooling”. The transcripts and diploma they had given me were completely fabricated. The “college” in which they had enrolled me was unaccredited. I had no official GPA and according to the law, I was a high school dropout. It was a crushing blow, but within a couple of days I picked myself up, looked into and registered for the next GED test available, took it, and passed with flying colors.

Being (finally!) accepted into Armstrong was amazing. Every day that I go to the campus, shouldering my heavy bags of books, I still swell with pride – and every now and again, feel something akin to disbelief. I remember so well those moments, not so very long ago, when I was twenty one years old and begging my stalwart parents to allow me to get my driver’s license – and now, here I am. I’m married to a wonderful, supportive, man, have a sweet little girl, drive forty-five minutes each way twice a week to a real college, where I am earning a very official Bachelor of Science in Special Education and have a beautifully authentic transcript.

I chose Special Education mid-way through my first semester and am so glad that I did. I can’t imagine now going back to Early Childhood. I just have such a heart for those students who are struggling because of various disabilities (which they did not choose for themselves), and want to be able to fight for them and help them reach their full potential. I can’t imagine the elation I will feel upon obtaining my degree, because for so long, all of this seemed so impossible. 

We are proud to announce this anonymous student 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 ‘star’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

[M]y desired profession was staring at me in the face throughout all of high school, but I did not realize it until my junior year. I took French all through high school, putting little effort forth and yet I received grades better than those who worked for the class. By the time I woke up academically and realized the importance of learning for my future, I was nearly fluent in French. This inspired me, and driven by my newly recognized skill at learning language, as well as encouragement by my peers, I marched forth, taking a Spanish class as well. Yet that was not enough, there were too many similarities in the romance languages; they were too easy. My senior year I took German with my Spanish and French classes and, going out on a limb, I took a Japanese class. I was enamored by Japanese. By the time I received my diploma, I was a multilingual ‘A’ student excited to learn everything Linguistics and Foreign Languages had to offer me, and I decided I would start with Japanese.

To my discontent, I foud that UNM did not yet offer a Japanese major, only a minor. I therefore went straight to Linguistics, taking Japanese classes on the side as my foreign language. I soon helped found a Japanese study group which would eventually become the UNM Japanese club. This club not only celebrates Japanese culture, but also aids Japanese learners so prominently that it gained the attention of the staff and eventually the University itself. Thus, a Japanese major is arriving for Fall 2013, and I may be able to achieve my goal of becoming a foreign relations translator if I can continue to pay for my books. I can still see myself translating a document for a US policymaker or shaking the hand of Naoto Kan, the Japanese Prime Minister as I smile and bow.

I can see myself aiding those outside of the US who need a court translator, and would otherwise not receive a proper hearing. All I wish to do is aid others in their endeavors, small or great, which is why obtaining degrees in Japanese and Linguistics means the world to me.

We are proud to announce Calvary Zender 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 ‘star’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

[O]ctober 13th, 1999, 9:00 pm Indian Standard Time: The flight attendant came on the speaker and asked everyone to buckle their seatbelt. I was both nervous and anxious. I had never been on a flight before, nor had I even been outside of the northern region of India. Just hours before my flight, our house was overflowing with my aunts and uncles who were all giving me hugs and crying as they said goodbye. My dad was chosen out of thousands by the Indian Embassy to represent them in United States. As I sat on the plane looking for the last time at the beautiful Delhi skyline, I knew deep inside my seven year-old heart that this would be one of the most memorable journeys of my life.

After overcoming the initial homesickness, I found America fascinating. I loved the friendly teachers who brought cake to school, loved the beautiful apartment the Embassy provided us and even began to love the cold harsh winters that brought snow and a new tradition of Santa Claus. I enjoyed and lived innocently in my little 7-year-old world–not knowing that it was temporary and soon would come to an end.

September 11, 2002: While this date was remembered by most as the one year anniversary of the horrifying event of 9/11, I will always remember it as ground zero of the greatest challenge in my life. It was the day that my father decided not to return to India, at the end of his three-year term. It was the day he would give up his secure position in the Indian government to give my younger brother and me an American education. It was the day we moved from a lavish three-bedroom apartment to a cramped efficiency. It was the day my mother picked up an extra shift at work and my father went back to school to get an American degree. It was the day we downsized and told my six-year-old brother that Santa wouldn’t be coming anymore. It was the day, together as a family, we promised to support each other through our struggle to achieve the American Dream.

It was also the day that I became motivated to excel in school and avail myself of every opportunity. At the age of ten I gained an appreciation for the sacrifices that my parents were making.

For some people, life seems to come naturally. This is not the case with me. I have experienced many challenges, first hand. The cultural adjustment, loss of family and sacrifice of material comforts have made me a stronger person. The struggles and sacrifices of my parents remind me each day of the hard work that is necessary in order to achieve my goals and to make-up for what was lost.

I chose to be a Biology major because I know that everyone has struggles and that in this fight against life we have so much to lose. We need our good health if we are going to succeed in our attempts to achieving our dreams. I wouldn’t be able to tell you where my family and I would be if along with our struggles we also had to deal with the burden of wavering health. We need our physical strength to support our emotional one. This is why after I graduate from Towson University I plan on going into research to find a cure for infectious diseases like Cancer and HIV. This is why wining this scholarship would mean the world to me as it would allow me to fund my education and help me receive the necessary tools for making a difference in today’s community.

We are proud to announce Akanksha Arya 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 ‘star’ just above comments section below, and/or leave comments of support to help us with the selection process.

[W]e are proud to announce that Stephanie Sammons has won our December 2012 JustJobs Scholarship award.

Stephanie’s essay was moving and beautifully written.  She is a prime example of perseverance and selflessness as she uses her talents and experience to benefit others.  After overcoming a traumatic brain injury suffered during an automobile accident, Stephanie pieced her life back together and recently began an unpaid practicum at the local Children’s Hospital to lead therapeutic art projects in the pediatric ward.  She is currently enrolled in the Therapeutic Recreation program at Eastern Washington University, and will then secure the national certification for a career in Art Therapy, where she “will help others find the same comfort, healing, and sense of achievement” that she found in art courses.  

The nine finalists – Stephanie Sammons, Sarah Katz, Rebecca Nagurney, Natalie Sabillon, Allen Gomez, Stephanie Dominguez, Gina Valerio, and Derrek Coleman – were selected from thousands 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.  All the applicants should feel very proud of their noble pursuits.

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.