Scholarships serve to give students an important boost as they work toward finishing their degrees. This year, the College of Health and Human Sciences at Colorado State University awarded scholarships to 248 students across all academic units totaling more than $455,000. While we weren’t able to recognize our recipients and donors in person this year, we want to acknowledge our generous donors and outstanding student recipients.
Private scholarships are supported by a wide variety of donors, including families of former students, alumni who want to give back, corporations, foundations, and retired faculty. Some are set up as an endowment in memory of a loved one, and some are funded through estate gifts when someone wants to support students through their will. Below are the stories of a few students who were recognized with scholarships for their academic perseverance, contributions to the community, and goals for their futures.
Student share their stories and their gratitude
Video by Avery Martin
Find an audio described version of the video here
In the video above and the written testimonies below, students share their heartfelt gratitude for their generous scholarship donors.
Kaitlin Dailey, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Kaitlin Dailey is a junior majoring in hospitality management and always knew she wanted to be a Ram. Dailey is the recipient of the Mary E. June Scholarship. She was born and raised in Superior, Colorado, and discovered her passion for event planning after working as a banquet server at Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center. Her passion for the hospitality industry has allowed Dailey to independently coordinate and plan close friends’ weddings and be elected into the position of event chairman of the Epsilon Beta chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Dailey aspires to plan weddings and events in the future.
“I cannot express to you how honored I am to receive this scholarship,” said Dailey. “This scholarship is going to help alleviate the financial pressures of my college expenses on my family and it will also help me graduate from college with less debt that will allow me to more fully pursue my aspirations. Thank you for not only giving me financial support but also your confidence and belief in me and my academic career at CSU. Your faith in me inspires me to continue to work to the best of my ability in my academics and pursue my passions knowing there are others also rooting for my success.”
Josephine Glenn, Department of Health and Exercise Science
Josephine Glenn is a senior majoring in health and exercise science. She grew up in Montana and is a descendant of the Crow tribe but moved to Colorado in 2012 and graduated from Fort Collins High School. Glenn is the recipient of the Sue Jones Health and Exercise Science Scholarship. Glenn studied abroad in Paris in the Fall 2019 semester and spent the Spring 2020 semester at a research position at KU Leuven in Belgium. She hopes to become a doctor and plans to pursue an M.D.-Ph.D. to gain a more holistic and well-rounded view of medicine and its applications.
“Thank you so much for your generous gift,” said Glenn. “Scholarships and grants give me the ability to stay focused on my education and on my career ambitions. Thanks to these contributions and the encouragement of CSU and its outstanding educators, I am able to continue to meet my academic goals and further my progress towards what I hope to achieve in my career in medicine.”
Miles Harrison, Department of Design and Merchandising
Miles Harrison is a first-generation sophomore from Denver, Colorado, majoring in apparel and merchandising with a concentration in apparel design and production. Harrison is the recipient of the Terry Enright Memorial Scholarship. Harrison has been creating art his whole life and uses art to express himself. He discovered sustainable fashion design during his junior year of high school and has developed a passion to create a fashion brand to change the world. Harrison wants to provide affordable, sustainable, and ethically made clothing and change the negative environmental impacts of the fashion industry.
“College always seemed like an unachievable dream that everyone like me talked about,” said Harrison. “My biggest push though was receiving scholarships. The gifts from donors helps me get through college and that is the biggest blessing that I have in my life. The fact that people believe in me from hearing my story pushes me to achieve all my goals. These scholarships are the only reason I am going to college. I am forever grateful for the people who give me this opportunity. The support from donors will allow me to change the world.”
Kirstie Naljahih, School of Social Work
Kirstie Naljahih is a freshman majoring in social work. She grew up in Jamestown, New Mexico, and is part Navajo and part Kiowa. Naljahih is the recipient of the Pershing E. Sims Memorial Scholarship. She eventually would like to earn her master’s degree in social work and become a clinical social worker. Receiving her degree in clinical social work will help her assist families to make a difference in addressing and resolving their needs. Naljahih wants to empower her Native community members by teaching them skills, giving them the tools that she has learned to help advocate for themselves and speak up for their needs.
“I am very honored and thankful to be receiving this scholarship,” said Naljahih. “I will use this scholarship to achieve my academic and career goals by putting it towards my tuition and fees and help aid the cost of my attendance at CSU. Going into college as an out-of-state freshman, the cost of my education will be very excessive, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to gain the knowledge and skills to become a clinical social worker.”
Luis Rojas Sanchez, Department of Construction Management
Luis Rojas Sanchez is a first-generation student majoring in construction management who moved to the United States at a young age. Sanchez is the recipient of the John L. Hachmeister Legacy Scholarship. Sanchez has lived in Fort Collins for the past 19 years and found his passion for construction having worked in the industry since he was 15. He hopes to work as a commercial superintendent and eventually start his own company building custom homes and multifamily homes.
“I would like to thank the donors for their generosity, this award is life changing both for me and my family,” said Sanchez. “Receiving this award reassures me that there are people who believe in me and that I can continue this journey no matter the obstacles. I am a nontraditional, first-generation student. I am tasked with supporting a family by working full-time and pursuing my educational goals. By receiving this award, I can worry less about my finances and dedicate more time to my education.”
Karen Sandoval, Department of Human Development and Family Studies
Karen Sandoval is a senior majoring in human development and family studies with a pre-health concentration. Sandoval grew up in Aurora, Colorado, but was born in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States with her mom before she turned two years old. Sandoval is the recipient of the Danielle Soliz Scholarship. She has a passion for supporting the Latinx community and works at El Centro at CSU empowering, welcoming, and providing resources to Latinx students on campus. Sandoval hopes to one day work as an occupational therapist within the Latinx community with children who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“Receiving this scholarship is a weight off my shoulders as I worry a lot about tuition and living,” said Sandoval. “This gift helps me in more ways than just financially. Being a first-generation student of color at a predominately white institution does come with barriers and blockades that make me question my ability and presence to be on this campus. But being selected as a recipient for a scholarship motivates me and pushes me to continue my education. I do belong here. Thank you for believing in me and reminding me to believe in myself.”
Jasmine Schulze, Department of Occupational Therapy
Jasmine Schulze grew up in Craig, Colorado, and is a master’s student in occupational therapy. Schulze is the recipient of the Natalie Smith Teel Scholarship. Growing up, Schulze learned the best way to make a difference is by committing to a profession you are passionate about. After completing her associate’s degree in science, Schulze attended CSU to complete her bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science. As an OT she hopes to provide tools to people so they can move past a disabling condition or circumstance to living meaningful lives.
“This scholarship encourages me to pursue my career goals knowing someone with a generous heart believes in me and my mission of becoming an occupational therapist so I can help those in my care to live life to the fullest,” said Schulze. “Also, knowing I have financial support allows me to achieve a balance between my roles as a student, mother, and wife by of taking some pressure off from providing for my family during the short time of my master’s degree. Because of your gift, I will be able to spend more intentional time with my family while my son is young. I will also be able to devote more time and attention to my studies.”
Cynthia Winbush, School of Education
Cynthia Winbush lives in Schertz, Texas, and is a master’s student studying education and human resource studies with a specialization in adult education and training. Winbush is the recipient of the Kolasa-Zastrow Family Scholarship for Adult Education. As a mother and grandmother, Winbush has always emphasized the importance of education as the door to opportunity. While her children were growing up, Winbush made a promise to herself that once her youngest child started college, she would pursue a graduate degree as her door to her opportunities and dreams. She enrolled in graduate school at CSU 30 years after receiving her undergraduate degree. As the owner of a nutrition consulting business, Winbush’s goal as an instructor is to be a catalyst for productive change in the work environment.
“I would like to thank the Kolasa-Zastrow family for their tremendous generosity,” said Winbush. “This gift will help me to complete my advanced degree which will allow me to pursue my long-term professional goals. My long-term goals include teaching nutrition courses at the college level, developing nutrition education related training materials for adult learners, and developing online continuing education nutrition materials for dietitians.”
