Jersey S.

In 2010 my dad was struck by an impaired driver, and ultimately succumbed to his injuries ten days later. His death felt like a tidal wave, and I had never learned to swim. My dad was a hardworking man, who worked long hard hours in an iron mine, to make ends meet. My dad was so young when he passed and he focused so hard on making sure we had food and a roof over our heads that he never considered life insurance coverage.

Since my dad's passing, I have felt driven to pursue medicine. I hope to become the first doctor in my family. The medical staff that cared for my dad after the incident did everything in their power to save him, but their efforts failed. I want to learn to help someone like him and prevent someone's family from suffering like my family did after my dad’s passing.

Unfortunately, those desires often feel unattainable and far-fetched. While I am determined to work hard and get an education, university is a large financial commitment. When it is hard to stay afloat financially it seems impossible to achieve higher education no matter how passionate you are or how much you want it.

After my dad's death, I felt like I was left to walk through life alone without his guidance and support. The financial burden of losing my dad was something I never considered when I was first grieving, but as time passes, you begin to feel the raft. The struggle seems so hard these days, as I am in the depths of my degree trying to navigate between what I want and what I can afford. I feel as though I am completely restricted to programs and schools because of my financial situation. Programs that are lengthy and expensive, such as medicine, seem so far out of reach.

Without life insurance coverage, my family's financial situation has become increasingly difficult. My mother works at a restaurant and has no benefits. With no life insurance coverage, we were left with nothing. The largest stressor in my family's life has been finances, what can we afford and when. My parents always wanted me to achieve my educational goals, but unlike what they ever imagined I have to finance it alone.

I have been working for years to save enough money to attend university. I spent the days at school and nights at work. I spend my summers working in the same iron ore mine as my dad once did. My ability to afford university, depends on how many hours I can work when I'm not at school. Like my father I am committed and hard working. I am determined to achieve my goals of receiving an education. The weight of trying to learn, and work, and worrying about tuition seems unbearable at times. This scholarship would allow me to prioritize learning instead and not fear that my education will be cut short because of financial insecurity.