Seven weeks after having baby Norah, Frani Dunivan lost her job and felt completely lost. So she made the decision to go back to college and make a better life for her family.
"I came home and had to look at my seven week old baby and I just felt like a failure," Dunivan said. "But that's when I decided it was the right time to go back to school to pursue an education and improve our lives. I'm going to be a teacher."
At yesterday's Fulfilling Dreams Scholarship Reception at Three Rivers College, Dunivan said money is tight. With the help of her fiancé, she gets by, but the opportunity for much disposable income is simply not there, a situation familiar to many full-time students.
"Usually all my money goes to paying for classes, but since I've been awarded the Sarah White Memorial Scholarship, my family will have some extra money this semester, which is really nice."
George and Katie Jarboe created the scholarship to honor their daughter, who had a passion for teaching. It was established in conjunction with the college through 5k running events and private donations. This year, the award totaled $1,000.
"Being a teacher was one of her greatest loves but she only was able to teach for four years," Katie Jarboe said. "The scholarship is a great way for her to be remembered."
During the reception, donors and recipients came together to share stories, the recipients telling of their journey through higher education, why they chose TRC and the donors speaking to what led them to contribute to the futures of people whom they've never met.
Dr. Wesley Payne, president of TRC, welcomed everyone to the Tinnin Center.
"There's a lot of people behind you, there's a lot of people pulling for you and we expect great things of you," Payne told the students. "I'm sure you'll rise to those expectations."
Payne then thanked the donors, saying they are "a huge part of what makes those bright futures possible."
This fall, more than $60,000 was awarded through donor-funded scholarships, said Mark Stidham, treasurer of the TRC Endowment Trust and member of its scholarship committee.
"As we read the application essays and later the thank you letters, we see how the funds, regardless of the amount, truly make a difference in the lives of our students," Stidham said.
Hunter Aud, recipient of the Wylma Noll Memorial Scholarship, graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 2017. He was valedictorian of his class of nearly 350 students and had a world of plans ahead of him, he said. Except he couldn't quite figure out what they were. Instead of spending $20,000 on his first year of college, Aud decided to get his associates degree at TRC while he lines out his future
"I didn't really know how much a scholarship meant until I was faced with the task of coming up with $5,000 on my own," he said. "Receiving the Wylma Noll Memorial Scholarship has allowed me a new freedom and showed me all my hard work wasn't for nothing. A weight has been truly lifted off my shoulders."
Chairman of the Three Rivers Board of Trustees Eric Schalk's message was one of pride. He said though the financial aid office does well hearing and meeting the monetary needs of students, sometimes it's just not enough. That's where the donor-funded scholarships come in and make a difference.
"I'm very proud to be a member of the trustee board. I'm very proud of this college and the direction it's headed, and I'm very proud of these students making choices to change their lives," Schalk said.
The TRC Endowment Trust partners with donors to invest in TRC students, faculty and programs. All gifts, whether intended for scholarship, program support or general support of the college, are managed by the Endowment Trust board and ultimately directed back to the college as instructed by the donor.