Jenna P.
Ever since I was in eighth grade I knew where I wanted to go to school. The College of Saint Benedict was my dream for my entire high school career, but it was an expensive dream. My parents are both teachers and they told me it would be tight paying for a private education. I have always been a proactive person, so I started making a resume that I could use for scholarship applications when I got older. Then my older brother made a decision that would affect our entire family, he chose to attend Saint John's. We all knew my parents would never be able to pay for two private college educations and we also knew that neither of us would get any federal grant money. So I started looking for scholarships.
By the end of my senior year, I had received over $100,000 for my next four years at the College of Saint Benedict. The College of Saint Benedict was my dream, but I never expected them to make it come true. When I applied for their scholarships I never expected for them to give me almost half my tuition. Everything I wanted was possible because of that scholarship. Now, I spend my time at Saint Ben's wondering how I ever got so lucky.
I am a global business major with minors in environmental studies and writing. I spend my free time here at Saint. Ben's meeting other amazing women, working with the student activist clubs on campus, and attending all the Johnnie football games I can! I am working towards my goal of founding a non-profit organization to raise awareness and funds for global issues like poverty and hunger. I am receiving the education I always dreamed of and I am also working at the best job on campus. As a Phonathon caller I get to tell donors that their gifts to current scholarship funds do change lives. I know because they changed mine.
Jenna P. '18 | Baxter, Minn.