“Education may be the passport, but work experience is the boarding pass,” she wrote.

Her work as a student photographer in Stockholm, Sweden was impressive and showed she was willing to go to great lengths to gain work experience in addition to immersing herself in another culture. Those life experiences are both challenging and irreplaceable for a young adult.

Nashirra was honest about how she has learned to be financially responsible and described in her essay how the actions of family members has given her a better understanding of what to do and what not to do.

“By understanding my family’s mistakes with credit, loans, and other financial obligations, I can make decisions that differ from their choices and take accountability for my own financial future to secure a life of enjoyment for not only myself, but for my family and for my future family,” she said.

Often times it is through mistakes that people learn the most, and Nashirra showed that she has learned from the missteps others have made.

Choosing the winner for this scholarship wasn’t easy. We were thrilled to see that so many students are taking such important steps, whether personally, financially, or professionally, to set themselves up for success after graduation. These essays show that the next generation is committed to thriving in their life after school.

Congratulations, Nashirra! We are wishing her and all of the other students that applied to our scholarship luck going forward in their education and careers.