JBBBSLA has awarded over $2 million in college scholarships to 315 students since 1990 through a variety of scholarship programs – JBBBSLA, Arnold S. Nelson, Rising Leaders, and the Plost Family Scholarships.
We are excited to share one of our scholarship success stories – Sophia C. Sophia is a former Little in our mentoring program, a current JBBBSLA Scholarship recipient, and Lead Student Ambassador. She is entering her third year at UC San Diego with a major in Political Science. She was recently selected to receive a renewable $25,000 Plost Family Scholarship. Below she shares her reaction to finding out the news and what this scholarship means to her.
“Like many other students, this past year has made me question my ability to achieve an undergraduate degree. Financial and social stress took root, which made me question my own skills. When I woke up on April 21, 2021 to JBBBSLA’s phone call, hearing that I received such an esteemed scholarship shocked me to the core. I was in disbelief. What did I do to deserve such a gift? Will I live up to the honor?
After ending the call, I ran up to my mother and told her the good news. She was the person I knew who would understand my feelings, as she was the woman who instilled the high value of a college degree into me. There was a moment where we both hugged each other and smiled beyond reason. It was simply a scene filled with pure joy and love. I remember visiting UC San Diego for the first time with her almost two years ago. She was there with me, visiting the dormitories, seeing the grand lecture halls, and experiencing the first times of college with me. Giving her the news of my scholarship has been added to the list of higher education moments I have shared with her, which I hold extremely close to my heart.
I will be going back to UC San Diego next year for the first time since the pandemic began. For some reason, I am more nervous this time around. Maybe it is because I know what to expect, or because there is more pressure this time around, as I will be a third year student. However, this scholarship has eased so many of the nerves I was feeling. I cannot put into words how much this award means to me and my family. All the times I have had to miss events because of my studies or put school above all else seems worth it. The ability to go through the next year of college resting easier is unimaginable. This summer, I will be either taking summer classes at UC San Diego or working at an internship in a law office, working toward my future goal of a career in international relations.
There are a lot of things I am currently uncertain about, but finishing my degree is not one of them. I will forever be grateful for this scholarship. This scholarship has made all the difference to me and my family. I will be forever grateful for this generosity and will continue to work hard in my studies.”
To learn more about JBBBSLA’s scholarship programs, please visit our scholarships page. We also encourage you to Make a Gift Today so we can continue to create impactful programs for students to help them achieve their academic dreams.
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