Talk of college and scholarships has flooded the halls as seniors get ready to say their ‘goodbyes’ and ‘see you laters.’ As many students plan for a summer of saving for college next year, Yasmeen Al-Dugom, 12, is saving for the courses they plan to take in three years, as they recently received a full-ride scholarship to JCCC that will cover their first two years.

Al-Dugom planned to get some of their basic classes out of the way at JCCC, and on April 26, their plans became a reality. They were awarded the Presidential Scholarship along with a book scholarship ensuring that their experience at JCCC would be free of financial stress. 

“It definitely makes it easier, especially with the money and stuff. I plan on going to Johnson County for two years and then K-State, so that will help me be able to save money for college, K-State opportunities. It also makes it a lot less stressful for me to work as much, just so I can study on schoolwork,” Al-Dugom said.

Al-Dugom looks towards their mom for support as their mother was determined to succeed in their college years.

“My mom has always been the one to inspire me. She went back to college to get her degree in business. She pushed me to do my best and was always a support anchor for me,” Al-Dugom said.

Al-Dugom plans to major in interior design, since they are interested in further education in the subjects of art and architecture. Though the design of their future is solid, there was a lot of behind the scenes that went into getting their full-ride. Al-Dugom would recommend when applying for scholarships, to get involved in community service and volunteering opportunities. They believe that you should only rely on yourself for motivating in order to succeed and be a hard working individual. Al-Dugom has also found that a balance between good grades and volunteer work has been their key to success. 

The application process is a simple form asking basic questions about plans of study, GPA, and other basic information. When they applied, Al-Dugom had not expected to get the scholarship let alone a full-ride. They even forgot they applied, making the announcement even more exciting. 

“Even when you think that you’re not going to get it, just try. I didn’t think I was going to get it, I kind of forgot about it, and then I was like, ‘Oh! I got it!’ So just try your best, and there are always other opportunities for it,’’ Al-Dugom said.

Al-Dugom is thankful for the opportunity they have been given and plans to express their gratitude through hard work.