Foundation / Giving Back / Scholarships

2018 New Beginnings Scholarship Winners

Words by Abbie Dyer on Aug 22, 2018 9:33:34 AM

Everyone deserves the chance to turn over a new leaf and pursue a new path in life. However, we understand that financial obstacles often prevent people from pursuing the education they need to change direction in life. To ease the cost of pursuing a new career, we established the New Beginnings Scholarship through the Lake Trust Foundation.

For this scholarship, we looked for individuals who wanted to pursue a career in a trade or who planned to attend a career technical education program. Scholarship opportunities for these programs are often harder to find than traditional college scholarships and we wanted to help bridge that gap. We recognize that there are many ways to gain an education and it’s important to support non-traditional education outlets. Meet our 2018 New Beginnings Scholarship recipients and help us say congratulations.

Windy: Emergency Medical Technician

Windy plans to use her skills and education to help out in her community. She already volunteers for her county’s community emergency response team, search and rescue team, and the American Red Cross. After taking an Emergency Medical Responder course that she enjoyed, Windy decided that she wanted to continue her training. She was shocked to hear that she won a New Beginnings Scholarship and was excited for the chance to continue down the career path that she loves.

“It’s an opportunity for me to expand on my education and get my EMT license so that I can help in the community a little bit more,” Windy tells us.

She plans to use her $5,000 New Beginnings Scholarship to help with education costs as she pursues a new career as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Her EMT license will give her more capacity to help the teams she volunteers with and assist the community with medical emergencies.

Another Reason to Smile. Chloe plans to use her scholarship to help with costs as she pursues a career as a dental assistant.
Dedicated to Community. Windy wants to continue serving the medical needs in her county and plans to get her EMT license.

Chloe: Dental Assistant

Chloe’s path to the New Beginnings Scholarship started one night when she logged in to her Online Banking account and saw an advertisement for our scholarships from the Lake Trust Foundation. Curious, she clicked on the ad and discovered that she fit into one of the categories. A few months later, she was even more shocked to see that she had won a $2,000 scholarship.

“The New Beginnings Scholarship really means a lot to me in this season of life. I’m going to school as a dental assistant and I’ll be using the money for tuition assistance and to further my education this year,” Chloe says.

She’s relieved that she’ll be able to head off to school this fall without any added financial pressure.

Aaron: Physical Therapy Assistant

From competing in triathlons to training as an Olympic athlete, being on the move has always been a big part of Aaron’s life. He previously worked as a coach for the Michigan State University Triathlon Club and now serves as an assistant coach for a high school cross country and track and field program. However, he decided that he wanted to take his passion for being active by moving in a new direction and helping people in a different way.

Aaron now is studying to be a physical therapy assistant (PTA). He hopes to use his experience as an athlete and a PTA to help people who have had their lives altered by physical injuries to regain their confidence and achieve their physical goals.

His long-term plans include getting his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) and opening a rehabilitation and training center for athletes and performing artists. Using his talents to give back to the community is also important to him.

He explains: “I want to eventually use my knowledge and ability as a therapist to provide volunteer care in impoverished areas in the United States and in other countries.”

Aaron’s $1,000 New Beginnings Scholarship will help him with the costs of his tuition and clinical expenses as he finishes his final year in the PTA program.

Adriana: Paramedic/FireFighter

Having a career where she can help people in need is important to Adriana. She plans to lead a life of service as a firefighter and also obtain her paramedic license. She also wants to use her skills and expertise to give back to her community through educational opportunities.

“Whether it is in an ambulance or at a house fire, I want to be able to possess the skills necessary to help someone who is calling you on their worst day,” says Adriana. “I strive to be in a career field where my education and knowledge give me the ability to not only save someone’s life, but to encourage health and safety in my local community.”

Adriana plans to use her $2,000 New Beginnings Scholarship toward her instruction costs when she enters a paramedic program in the fall. She’s excited for the chance to advance her knowledge and gain the training she needs to help other people.

A New Journey

Sometimes an obstacle in life is an opportunity to explore a new passion or take a new career path. We’re in awe of each of our New Beginnings Scholarship recipients and moved by their dedication to helping others. We’re excited for the new opportunities they have ahead of them and wish them the best of luck on their educational journey.

SEE ALSO: 2018 Social Entrepreneurial Scholarship Winners | 2018 Lake Trust Credit Union Community Impact Scholarship in Honor of Doug Hawes

Photo Credit: Diana Liang | Not Pictured: Aaron, Adriana