2022 New Beginnings Scholarship Recipients Awarded Up To $5,000 Each

Felishia S.: Landscape Design

Felishia is excited to grow her career in the field of landscape design. As the first in her family to attend college, she’s currently dual-enrolled at both Muskegon Community College and Michigan State University. She’s working toward her landscape maintenance certificate and an Associate of Applied Science degree. The New Beginnings Scholarship will help Felishia pay for books and supplies that she needs for her education.

After getting a job at a local landscaping company, Felishia knew that she had found her calling. She loves working with her team at Landscape Design Services and hopes to mentor, teach, and lead future landscape designers.

Emma T.: Veterinary Medicine

With a love for animals, Emma is getting ready to pursue a career helping them. She plans to start her journey by attending the pre-veterinary program at Mott Community College before transferring to a larger university to obtain her doctorate degree. After college, Emma is interested in working for a zoo or big cat rescue to help with conservation efforts.

As part of Emma’s training, she’s required to participate in some non-paid experiences, and she also plans to volunteer at big cat sanctuaries or rescue groups to further her knowledge and understanding of the field. Emma plans to use her New Beginnings Scholarship to pay for tuition costs this year.

Allison V.: Woodwork Manufacturing

After working as a speech language pathologist for four years and helping her students explore vocational and technical training opportunities Allison is looking to pivot her career into the trade industry as well. She’s now preparing to become the first woman to pursue the nation’s first woodwork manufacturing specialist apprenticeship registered through the Department of Labor. Allison’s love of woodworking grew during the pandemic when she started to refinish and refurbish furniture. She now wants to learn how to make furniture and her New Beginnings Scholarship will help with the costs associated with her apprenticeship program.

Allison’s career goal is to start a nonprofit organization that retrofits existing spaces in schools and community centers to teach students foundational woodworking techniques. She hopes to focus on developing workshops in Detroit and providing training to students from underserved populations to support the next generation of skilled woodworkers.

Jaclyn D.: HVAC Technician

Jaclyn is not only excited to use her knowledge and expertise to help homeowners with repairs, but she also hopes to empower other women through her work. After working in the food service industry for ten years, Jaclyn took advantage of an opportunity through her employer to do an HVAC/refrigeration apprenticeship. While moving from the food service industry to HVAC has been an adjustment, Jaclyn is enjoying her time learning a new skill and connecting with professionals in her chosen field. She currently attends Lansing Community College where she will earn her HVAC certification and Associate of Applied Science degree.

In the future, Jaclyn hopes to open a company with women who specialize in skilled trades. She wants to create new opportunities for women in industries that are traditionally dominated by men.

Cameshia C.: Sterile Processing Technician

“Are you telling me my classes are going to be paid for?! You just made my whole day.”

Cameshia’s jubilant reaction after being told she had won a $5,000 New Beginnings Scholarship was priceless. This future surgical technician is starting her career by earning a certification as a sterile processing technician. Cameshia is looking forward to a rewarding career focused on giving back to others. By doing her part to keep surgical tools clean and safe, she can play a role in helping someone improve their wellbeing while supporting the medical community too. This new path in life will also give her the work-life balance she needs to spend more time with her son.

With a scholarship in hand, Cameshia is relieved that she can focus on her studies without worrying how she is going to pay for books, supplies, and tuition.

Katherine R.: Radiation Therapy

As a current student at University of Michigan-Flint, Katherine is working toward her Bachelor of Science in radiation therapy. Now in her clinical rotations, she’s on track to graduate in May 2023.

Katherine had always felt a calling toward the medical field, but she wasn’t sure what she wanted her area of focus to be. But her calling found her after a family member mentioned how much support she felt from the radiation therapists who cared for her during an illness.

The New Beginnings Scholarship will help Katherine pay for scrubs, a lab coat, shoes, textbooks, and other course materials. She also plans to use the funds for an ASRT membership to help her study and prepare for the radiation therapy board examination that she’ll need to complete after graduation. Katherine plans to use her knowledge and skills to help provide quality care for cancer patients and be there as emotional support on their journey to recovery.