Dream Big: Scholarship America Dream Award Scholar Vy Nguyen
Vy Nguyen loves learning. “I want to learn something new every day,” the University of Portland nursing major says.
That passion is lifelong. Born in Vietnam, Vy and her parents immigrated to the United States when she was six.
"I remember when I started first
grade, it was a terrifying experience not knowing any English,” Vy said. “It was a culture shock. I was left all on my own, it was just myself navigating through school and making friends.”
Vy worked hard, etching multiplication tables on her wooden desk at home and practicing the alphabet by writing in crayon on cabinets. She still uses that desk today, a reminder to be ambitious and always keep trying...
Supporting Non-Traditional Paths to Student Success
Picture “a college student.”
Chances are, you’re thinking of a young person between 18 and 22 years old, on a campus lined with trees and stately brick buildings, wearing their school colors to class as they study for their bachelor’s degree.
If so, you’re only halfway right. That traditional vision of a college undergrad still exists, but it no longer represents the norm. “Non-traditional” students—a grouping that includes part-time and online attendees; adults returning to school after time off; and students pursuing technical certifications or trade credentials—make up a huge portion of the college-going public, and helping them meet their goals requires innovative thinking and support.
Make the Most of Aid Opportunities: Billions in Aid Are Left on the Table
More than 3.2 million students graduated from high school last spring—and those students left almost $3.6 billion in Pell Grant funds on the table, along with millions of dollars in SNAP benefits, private scholarships and other forms of college financial aid.
It’s a massive paradox: paying for college is a struggle, but millions of students are missing out on billions of dollars in free money (and potentially derailing their college dreams as a result). Here’s our guide to help ensure students are not losing out—and your support of scholarships gives them one more option for college funding.
