Over $40,000 Awarded Since 2013!
The New Journeys Scholarship Award Winner (Winter 2023)
The New Journeys Scholarship Award program has concluded for the first half 2023. We would like to thank all of our participants and wish them all the best in the upcoming school year.
New Journeys Scholarship Winners for Fall 2023
Recipient #1
Brenna J.
from St. Paul, MN
Her Thoughts on Winning the Scholarship
I am so excited and honored to have won this scholarship! Winning this means a lot to me because while trade schools typically cost less than four-year colleges, they still cost thousands of dollars. I worked in high school to save up money for school, but now that I have begun my program, it is so intense that in order to focus on my studies, I have had to greatly cut back on my work hours, making it difficult to pay for schooling on my own. I would not be able to continue in my program without help from scholarships like this one, so I am extremely grateful to have been considered and chosen.
I chose Diagnostic Medical Sonography because I knew I wanted to make a difference in the healthcare field and I knew I did not want to wait four years to do so. I began looking into two-year programs and knew I did not want to deal with much blood and/or needles which pretty much narrowed it down to sonography. The more I researched and interviewed people about this profession, the more I felt this would be the right vocation for me.
Brenna’s Winning Essay
What do you want to do after high school? It seems to be the only question you get asked as a junior or senior in high school. It is extremely difficult to plan out your life as a 17-year-old. To figure out the answer to this question, I began asking family members about their careers and shadowing various professionals. I used the social media platform TikTok to my advantage and found out about a program known as Diagnostic Medical Sonography, which is also known as ultrasound technology. I was immediately more intrigued than ever.
After many more hours researching this program and the different paths I could take for this career, I found out about trade schools and that several colleges offer this program for sonography. School has never been my favorite and money has always been more of an issue for my family, so not going to a traditional 4-year college sounded ideal for my situation.
I quickly discovered how hands-on trade schools are and how in-depth of an education they provide in a relatively small amount of time. I started my program of diagnostic medical sonography the fall semester of 2022 at a college known as Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, SD. I am on a path to graduate next school year and have been excited by all the content I have been learning so far. I also love how much time students get down in the ultrasound labs using the machines and scanning. I have discovered this to be a new passion of mine as I know I can use the skills I am learning to help diagnose patients and save lives. Knowing this has meant a lot to me as I have had grandparents who have gone in to get ultrasounds done, were diagnosed, and began to heal with their physicians’ help all because of the ultrasound. The idea of being able to help someone else’s relative in the future makes me very delighted.
Another appeal of my trade school is the smaller, intimate setting between students and the instructors. My class currently has about 18 students and we have 2 main instructors. This means that my instructors are aware of the progress of each of us students. If we have questions, it is very easy to set up a time to talk to the instructor, or even flag them down in the hallways. My instructor is typically present while we practice on the ultrasound machines and because of this I have been able to make a professional relationship with her. This means she can assist me in contacting other professionals in the field if I ever have questions or want to shadow again.
As I mentioned earlier, having smaller classes in trade schools also means that you get to know your classmates better and can form relationships easier. I love the community that my technical college has helped me build. I have friends there to support me. We help each other on
difficult assignments and concepts and because this is a fast-paced program, next school year we will already be going out into the field to shadow professionals and begin our clinicals. I am very comforted to know that I will not be alone through this process because of the friendships I have made. I do not know if I would have made as many great connections if I were to go to a public 4-year college.
I am extremely thankful to have discovered this school and program. I do not think I would be able to get a better education or make better connections with friends at any other school. For those reasons and more, I have been recommending trade schools to siblings and friends because of how much it has changed my life and how much positive change I will be able to make with the skills I am currently learning. I am thankful for each semester I am able to attend school and am hopeful to attend school next semester and continue my education with help from scholarships, family, and support from friends. Thank you for allowing students the chance to share about their schooling and trade school journey and helping them succeed in their careers.
Recipient #2
Daniel C.
from Hernando, FL
His Thoughts on Winning the Scholarship
Thank you for awarding me this scholarship. I decided to pursue medical coding and billing for its career growth opportunities and work from home capabilities. Winning this award is a huge deal for me. I’ll now be able to pay for the remaining books I need and possibly get a laptop to help me with my studies.
Daniel’s Winning Essay
My new journey is in medical coding and billing. Medical coding and billing is a crucial part of the medical system. Medical coders and billers are responsible for turning medical diagnoses and treatments into codes, putting those codes in the computer and using them to bill the insurance companies or whomever is responsible for the bill. Without medical coders and billers, the system would fall apart and the hospitals and various doctors’ offices would not be paid for their services.
I’ve had some struggles in the past and was unable to finish high school and struggled for many years afterward, but thankfully a couple years ago around my 25th birthday, I started to get better and put my life back on track. It was a slow start and took time to get to a place where I could successfully function in everyday life, but I managed to get my GED a few months after my 26th birthday. After that, I had to choose between finding a job or continuing my education. I looked for work for a while but ultimately decided to continue my education in order to get a better paying and more fulfilling job. I had already missed so much time due to my struggles and didn’t want to miss anymore. Therefore, a tech school seemed like a good fit because I could graduate after only a year with a certificate in my field. It’s also is a smaller campus and wouldn’t be as hectic as a 4-year collage. It’s more affordable as well, plus there was a local tech school that looked like a good option. A tech school would be beneficial without committing too much time.
Next I had to choose a profession. There were a lot of good options. My school was very helpful in providing information, and I had a hard time picking one at first, but I managed to narrow it down to automotive or medical coding and billing. Automotive seemed good because I like working with my hands and I thought I would enjoy it, but I knew that I would also want to further my education past what this school would give me if I chose automotive and didn’t want to dedicate as much time. In the end, I choose medical coding and billing and started school as soon as I could, which was about a month before my 27th birthday. I’ve been attending for a couple months now and I’m thrilled to say I’ve been doing well. I truly believe I can make it in this field. I’ve been socializing often with my classmates and manage to have a 4.0 GPA. I’m super excited to continue school, engage more with people, learn more, start an internship, graduate with honors, and start a job in the field.
I chose this field for many reasons, one of which is that I love to help people and the medical field is a great place to do that. Another reason is that I will have the ability to work from home and choose my own hours. This will be super useful in the future when I have young children that need someone at home. If I can be there and also maintain a part-time position, this would be tremendously helpful. It also pays well, has good employment options, and can be very fulfilling. I’m looking forward to my medical coding a billing career and can’t wait to
get started.
New Journeys Scholarship Winner for Fall 2022
Jamie S.
from Chambersburg, PA
Her Thoughts on Winning the Scholarship
As a recipient of the New Journey Scholarship, I would like to express my gratitude for your support of college students working towards furthering their career.
This fall, I will be starting my second year in the Nursing program. Getting the privilege to attend Wilson College has been a dream come true. I live within walking distance and work less than two miles from campus. While balancing family, work, and school, it has been amazing not having to calculate commute time. Every time I walk onto campus, I am filled with appreciation for the history and beauty that surrounds me.
It is also quite an honor to be a part of Wilson’s Nursing program. I am attending college later in life, now at age 40, so I take every class and experience with pride and determination. Outside of school, I am a Certified Nursing Assistant at a local nursing home, so it is also a pleasure to be able to further my career in a field I already hold deep appreciation for.
Because of your support, the financial weight that comes with nursing school is lifted for the 2022/2023 year and it is possible for me to continue to achieve my educational and career goals. Thank you again for your generosity.
Jamie’s Winning Essay
It has been a challenge this year to be a full-time student while working part-time and being a mother. When I was accepted into Wilson College’s BSN program, I knew it would be quite a heavy load; however, it has also come with much reward and satisfaction. Through my adult years I have found that the easy path comes with little reward. Knowing this has helped me to push through the most difficult days up to this point. My strategy of having clear, weekly goals including work, family, and school helps me to end each week with a sense of accomplishment and direction.
I set my goals for school high. I want to remain a “straight A” student, not only for the grants and the status but also to know that I am setting myself up to become an amazing nurse. While I know being a 4.0 student is not necessary to become a good nurse, this goal affords me the opportunities for the best success. To do this, I know I have to be smart with my time. I look over my assignments on Sunday evenings and set up a schedule to follow with study time built in. This helps me to spread out my schoolwork enough that I do not have days where meeting a deadline or studying for a big test feels overwhelming. This also helps me to finish most days by 8:00 pm, which leaves time for at least an hour with my family most nights.
Being a mother of teenage children is less of a challenge now that they are both self-sustainable. However, it can be a challenge to stay connected with them. This is a pivotal age for them, and I do not want them to feel as though I have tapped out of my mothering duties. They are important to me, so I have set up goals to spend time with them each week, as well as setting dinner time as a “no study” time most days. This helps them to know that they can still have access to me to vent about their day, to make dinner, or just to take my daughter to and from work. They see that school is a challenge for me right now, but I am looking forward to showing them how all the arduous work will pay off. It is one thing to tell your kids that college is important, but it is another to show them. This continues to push me to be a good student while also staying active in their lives.
Work has been the most difficult to stay enthused about; however, money is still needed. I am currently a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at a long-term nursing facility. I continue to show up to work with a good attitude and mindset because I know that the nurses I assist can teach me so much along the way. This ignites my desire to go home and continue to accomplish my goals with my studies. My job as a CNA also keeps my heart in my goals. I love the residents and the staff I work with. They are the reason I decided to pursue a career in nursing in the first place. Going to work each week may be difficult, but I always leave each shift more energized to continue the path I have chosen.
My goals of being a good mother, student, and employee are all intertwined. This helps to set me up for success no matter which role I have during each day. I want to be a great mother so I know this comes with showing my kids that the goals they set can be accomplished. This pushes me to be a good student, and my chosen career path pushes me to continue to be a great employee. When I allow each of these areas to positively affect each other, I will be able to have success in all three areas in the hopes of a well-balanced life.