SCHOLARSH
SPOTLIGHT : TIFFANY WALENS
Marjorie Kennedy Wilson Scholarship and LEAP Tampa Bay Fuse Scholarship Hometown : Wesley Chapel , FL
What influenced your decision to attend PHSC ? I decided to attend PHSC due to convenience . I was excited when the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch was built because it is very close to where I live . I love that PHSC offers a wide selection of classes and most of the classes I needed were available online . This works great for me since I am a mom and work full time . While I prefer to take in-person classes , the online option was perfect for when I needed more flexibility .
What are you studying ? I will finish my Associate in Arts degree from PHSC this spring semester . I plan to attend the University of South Florida to complete a bachelor ’ s degree in Elementary Education or English .
What is your fondest PHSC memory ? Most of my classes have been online , but my fondest PHSC memory is when I arrived to my first in-person PHSC class during my second semester . Despite feeling a little old ( being 20 years older than most of the other students ), I was genuinely excited to be back in a classroom !
Is there someone at PHSC that you admire and why ? I have loved all the teachers I have had at PHSC . The teacher I admire the most was my in-person English II instructor . Jacqueline May teaches the understanding of short stories and poetry in a way that completely held my attention . I was never a fan of poetry when I was younger , but her expertise and enthusiasm for the subject made it so much more interesting . I loved our group chats that discussed the symbolic meanings behind the poems we read .
What did receiving this PHSC Foundation scholarship mean to you ? Receiving the PHSC Foundation scholarship was amazing for me . College is expensive and going back to school in my thirties , I am paying for everything myself . If it were not for grants and scholarships , I do not know that I would have been able to complete my degree . I was also very proud to receive this scholarship because I know I was going up against many other talented young students . I am happy that my hard work is paying off .
What does the future hold for you ? I do not know for sure what the future holds . I am hopeful to complete a degree in Elementary Education or English . I love to read and write and would enjoy being a teacher . I also hope to write novels once I have more free time when my kids are older .
Why do you think philanthropy matters ? Philanthropy is important because not everyone has the means to obtain their goals due to finances — the generosity of others can completely change someone ’ s life .
Would you like to say anything to those who make scholarship opportunities happen for the students at PHSC ? I would love to say thank you to everyone that is generous enough to donate scholarships to students at PHSC . As one of those students to receive a scholarship , it made a huge difference to have assistance in paying my tuition and not having to worry about my family struggling financially while I went to school .
To support a deserving student , visit foundation . phsc . edu
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