Jenna Callaway is a sophomore from Salem, Oregon. She is a Nursing major and the first in her family to go to college. Jenna recently talked with us about why she chose this university and what Q Club scholarships mean to her, and her dreams. This podcast was also used on PLU’s new
Project Access Web site.
“Receiving scholarships has been a huge help in my education. I would not be here without them. As a student who’s financing my education, largely by myself, it’s a huge task. I just…. I just quite frankly wouldn’t be here without them.
PLU has amazing nursing school, without the scholarships, I would be probably be at community college, getting a degree, and it just wouldn’t be the same. I’m very appreciative and thankful.
Obviously, I want to be a nurse. My dream is to work in Portland at Oregon Health and Science University, as a nurse with mothers and babies. I have two years left of school, and then it’s into the work force.
I love the small community at PLU. It’s not like a big state school with thousands of students and hundreds of students in each class. When I go to the University Commons, there is always someone I know. It’s just a community-based place. And the nursing school here is amazing. I knew I wanted to be in the Northwest and in a small university, and in a Christian university, that was very important to me. But in the end it came down to finances.
My search for a university was quite intense. I ended up applying to 10 schools, visited 16. And these were full visits, with stay overs, talking with counselors the whole thing. PLU was the last school I visited, and it was absolutely where I wanted to be. They really wanted me here, and my admissions counselor was amazing. She gave me both emotional and practical support. She kept saying “we can get you here, just don’t give up, it is possible, we’ll make it possible.”
To everyone who has given to scholarships and Q Club, I just want to say thanks. I wouldn’t be here without you. You are helping me, and in turn, I’m helping you in my future as a nurse. It’s a circle of giving, and it starts with you.”
