I am attending the University of Wisconsin - Parkside in the fall and that is the university that I had always considered attending throughout my high school years. I see UWP as an extension of home. I have participated in different Women in Science days that the university has offered and those have only encouraged me further to attend that school.

Parkside isn’t just the school I’m going to because tuition is less than other UW schools or because it is rumored to be easier. I am attending UWP because of how close it is because it allows me to stay connected to my whole family. Parkside is the closest college to where I live, approximately 3 miles from where I reside, and there is something about the closeness to home that makes it even more inviting.  This is the greatest thing the school has to offer to me. It allows me to still be a part of my family and be involved in my younger sisters’ lives, while still enjoying college life at the same time. 

Having younger sisters and going far off to school was not an option for me. Besides the detachment that could develop, the main reason I want to be with them is so I can watch them continue to grow up. Ever since I was about eight, my middle sister four, and the youngest sister age one, I have taken care of my sisters in some shape or form whether it was changing diapers or feeding them. As we all got older, I got more interested in their lives and who they are. Now with my middle sister entering high school next year, and the youngest entering middle school, I want to see their lives and decisions as they get older. Eventually I will have to move away, but even then I won’t go far so I can see them and my entire family.

Parkside allows me to see my sisters go to prom, win competitions and compete in sporting events. Everyone in my family has always been a part of each other’s lives. My grandparents and aunts and uncles all attended sporting events, concerts, musicals, birthday parties and graduation parties, so I have grown up with a lot of support in my life. Going to Parkside, being close to home, seeing my family and having their support all in one is only going to result in my success at Parkside.

This scholarship is sponsored by CenturyLinkQuote.com.