Since 2010, Optimal has offered need-based scholarships to help college students realize their educational and career goals. We view this as an extension of our mission to use data to empower people to make better decisions about careers and education 一 scholarship recipients have identified their degree path, and we're happy to help with the costs of tuition, books, and expenses. That's why we're excited to announce our quarterly scholarship winners for summer:
- Online Degree Scholarship winner: Matthew Proper, pursuing an online bachelor's degree in computer science through Oregon State University
- Undergraduate Scholarship winner: Arieh Magedman, earning a bachelor's degree in nursing through Northern Arizona University
- Community College Scholarship winner: Brittany Cortis, completing an associate degree in nursing at Springfield Technical Community College
One striking feature common to all three winners is their clear-eyed vision of the future. They each have a strong sense of what they want to do and how to achieve it, along with the challenges ahead. But challenges are nothing new to this group.
Brittany writes, "I am meant to be a nurse," because she has firsthand experience of compassionate nurses who have cared for her family through multiple medical crises. Her experience as an ER technician and hospice caregiver gives her the conviction that "the need for compassion, communication, empathy, and involvement for family is just as important" as proper medical care for a patient.
Matthew seeks to land a job at a major tech company with an eye toward financial stability so he can establish his own cybersecurity firm. He understands the accessibility challenges that can make a campus difficult to navigate, so he chose an online degree to maintain a high level of independence. After winning the scholarship, Matthew said, "This scholarship will help me save a lot of money and I am very grateful to Optimal for giving me this opportunity."
Arieh has already worked hard to earn a GED and associate degree despite having a limited education when he arrived in the United States at 20 years old. He will be the first college graduate in his family, with plans to eventually earn a master's degree and become a nurse practitioner: "Although I will thrive during my years as a bedside nurse, I would like to take on leadership roles and be more of an integral part of my patients' needs."
The Optimal team is proud to support each of these driven students as they prepare for their next challenges. We are fully confident that they'll succeed in school and in their future careers.
Do you want to improve your career prospects through education but feel daunted by the cost? Then apply for our next round of scholarships by September 30, 2021. We provide one $2,000 award each to a community college student, an undergraduate student, and an online student.
On our scholarships page, you can find more information about each opportunity, including an application, along with an archive of previous recipients.