Leia Grantham – Pensacola State College

“Thank you for considering and selecting me to receive the Pensacola Women’s Alliance Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship will provide me with the funds necessary to achieve my degree in Business Management. I appreciate the goal of the Pensacola Women’s Alliance to promote the advancement of women in our community and am proud to be a recipient of this scholarship. Donors, like yourself, encourage me to continue my education and strive to accomplish my career goals.”

Imperial Harrell – Pensacola State College

“From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for this scholarship that you powerful women have blessed me with. I am determined to build my modeling and business career; the only thing holding me back was my financial situation, but I’ve always believed in miracles and the ladies of Pensacola Women’s Alliance proved me right. I will be forever grateful for and humbled by this opportunity. Working thirty hours a week, while juggling a full-time college schedule is difficult, but it’s worth it. I am proud of myself, and I hope to make you proud too. My career goal is to own my own modeling agency/studio. I chose to major in entrepreneurship because behind every passion, you need knowledge of business and social networking. I want to give young girls like me a chance to be successful. I hope to use my modeling agency/studio to instill confidence in women of all shapes and sizes, and let them blossom into the beautiful, courageous, and resilient women they’re destined to be.”

Kayla Grant – University of West Florida

“I am a senior at UWF pursuing my BA in Elementary Education/ESE. I am married to my high school sweetheart, a US Navy member. We currently live in Yokosuka, Japan with our three boys ages 10, 8, and 4. The challenges I face as a military spouse and mother to three have made it difficult for me to pursue my education. I am so grateful to the Pensacola Women’s Alliance for helping to make my educational goal attainable through their scholarship program. I am currently completing my final semester as a student teacher in a kindergarten classroom at a DoDEA school. I cannot wait for my future career as an educator to begin so that I may pay forward the guidance and support I have been given on this journey.”

Kenzie Johnson – Pensacola State College

“Thank you for choosing to support my education with this scholarship. This past semester has been amazing, as I was accepted into the honors program! I am twenty, but I have lived on my own since eighteen because my dad passed away when I was fifteen. After that, my family went through a spiral of hardships. I have been working as much as I can to afford rent and school. Last year, my federal financial aid covered my tuition expenses, but this semester it does not because my mother’s new husband makes too much money. I started to feel really discouraged because I did not know if I could afford to stay enrolled. I decided to take only one class a semester to save on costs. I remember logging into my account and seeing that my courses were already paid for by this scholarship; I felt a wave of peace and gratitude. Your support reassured me that I am making the right decision to continue my education. In the future, I would love to work in real estate, become a property appraiser, work at a credit union, or open my own coffee shop. I am beyond grateful for this scholarship. Thank you for helping others pursue an education.”

Katlyn Schmitz – University of West Florida

“Thank you! It means so much to me to have the opportunity to continue my education. I would never be able to accomplish this without people like you, people who believe in me before they have even met me. When it comes to continuing education. The biggest hurdle is the financial aspect. This scholarship has given me another push over that hurdle and I appreciate it more than you could know.”

Janae Shivers – Pensacola State College

“Following graduation with my business degree, I plan to continue attending Pensacola State College for cosmetology school. Since I can remember, it has been my dream to do hair and makeup! With both a business and a cosmetology degree, I aspire to own my own salon someday. This scholarship has benefitted me tremendously; it allowed me to save extra money to put towards attending cosmetology school and following my dream. I am beyond grateful to be honored with this opportunity. Thank you!”

Karah Androski – Pensacola State College

“My dream job has always been to do something that involves working with Orcas. As I have gotten older, I decided my ultimate dream job would entail me being a veterinarian that specializes in marine animals. Nothing would make me happier than to know that my career would be helping and rehabilitating animals in need. This scholarship has made a significant impact on me this semester. I pay for all of my class fees on my own, and while it’s not impossible, it can be very stressful for me. Being granted this scholarship gives me the opportunity to save money and take more classes this spring! Knowing that there are organizations like yours that want to help others succeed, makes me feel so supported and motivated.”

Vanessa Holding – University of West Florida

“I am a full-time student working towards my bachelor’s degree in psychology and intend to graduate in the spring of 2021. During this time I am also working full time and planning to start a family soon, so things stay busy in my house! I am looking to pursue graduate school in the future to achieve a master’s in psychology with a focus on counseling. 
I want to thank the Pensacola Women’s Alliance for this incredible opportunity and am grateful that you’ve chosen me for the scholarship!”

Emma Stokes – Pensacola State College

“I am a full-time student working towards my bachelor’s degree in psychology and intend to graduate in the spring of 2021. During this time I am also working full time and planning to start a family soon, so things stay busy in my house! I am looking to pursue graduate school in the future to achieve a master’s in psychology with a focus on counseling. 
I want to thank the Pensacola Women’s Alliance for this incredible opportunity and am grateful that you’ve chosen me for the scholarship!”

Jessica Lemos – University of West Florida

“I am a single mother to a kind and intelligent 9-year-old, and when I am not in school I am working at Subway and interning at the UWF historic trust. I enjoy painting and exploring new places with my daughter. I hope to graduate and pursue a career in illustration and animation. Thanks to the Pensacola Women’s Alliance and their generous contribution, continuing my Bachelor’s in Graphic Design was made more accessible and I was even able to take on additional opportunities which would have otherwise been impossible. I am extremely thankful for an internship with the University of West Florida Historic Trust, which I was able to pursue by virtue of relieving the financial burden. In addition to paying for my books, this scholarship allowed me to pay for software which has greatly improved the quality of work I produce both as a student and as an intern. I am, and will continue to be, incredibly grateful for the Pensacola Women’s Alliance. The vote of confidence given to me by these empowering women will stay with me long after my diploma is in my hand.”

Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida

The 2018 scholarship recipients attended our October 2018 dinner meeting.

From left:
Suzanne Daughtry (PSC)
Tabatha Welch (PSC)
Elena Mayhugh (UWF)

Not pictured – Nicole Auld (UWF)