Articles - Winter 2007 - return to index
Terasena Kennedy finds assistance with tuition and loans
Recovering from a stroke at the age of 29, Terasena Kennedy recognized she had the opportunity to begin life anew, perhaps even follow her lifelong dream of becoming a health care professional. That was six years ago. Now Kennedy is a respiratory care student at Lane. When she began planning for college, Kennedy was concerned about costs. She knew she would need scholarships and loans.
A counselor told Kennedy about Lane’s Show Me the Money! Learning Community that helps students conduct scholarship research and complete applications. She learned to organize her search, scour databases and hone her writing skills.
Classmate reviews of her scholarship essays were beneficial. "We came from such diverse backgrounds, and we learned about each others' lives through essays," Kennedy says. "We found ourselves cheering one another on." Through hard work and instructor guidance, Kennedy won three scholarships: one through the Oregon Student Assistance Commission and two from Lane. "I received enough to cover all my tuition and lower the amount of my student loans."
"I put a lot of work into it," acknowledges Kennedy, who submitted more than 30 scholarship applications. "Anyone who works hard has an excellent chance to receive a scholarship. There seems to be a scholarship for everyone."
