*The following is a message from Kayla Riley, Recipient of the Thelma and Kasper Ingebritson Scholarship.

I received the Thelma and Kasper Ingebritson Scholarship as an Elementary Education major. Going into the semester as a new mom, I was originally unsure if I was going to be able to get the scholarship due to having a baby and taking maternity leave. But, I was so relieved and excited to have received my first scholarship! It has made my life easier on a day to day basis by allowing me to spend more time with my child instead of looking for a job. Now I have funds to pay for my textbooks and school supplies, which help drive my passions.

I really like my classes this semester. They are more writing-based and geared towards expanding creativity and language skills. I really enjoy the English based classes in my major and luckily have a lot of them this semester. Coming into higher education, I have always wanted to be a teacher. Growing up, I was always playing ‘teacher’ as a child. As I got older, my passion for school went through phases, but I always remembered the thought of becoming a teacher. Going to college has helped me find a new breath of excitement and encouragement for a future in this career. So far, my favorite experience has been working at a school in Fortuna. In that class I could engage with children in an educational setting. The students sometimes would call me mom and it was always so warming to hear!

In regard to scholarships, it’s great that donors help students get through school. Getting a scholarship takes a lot of stress off of life and gives you encouragement for furthering your education. Thank you to those who give to scholarships and help fuel our futures.