Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Johnson.
Hi Susan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was a senior in high school at a boarding school on a partial scholarship. I had good grades, student body president and big dreams of college. Because of family troubles, my parents could not pay the school bill. I left school in my senior year and married my high school boyfriend. With no education working as a housekeeper, life was hard immediately. My husband began college just as our first child was born. Jake was born with no sight and no hearing. Another son was born 11 months later. Looking for help to teach my deaf-blind son I was referred to a retired teacher. Mrs. Stibick was 71, I was 21. From that day till her death at 93, she supported me, mentors me, guided me and changed my life forever. In her honor, I began a Support Our Scholars and mentoring Scholarship for brilliant impoverished young women.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Of course, the learning curve on the scholarship program has been large. We have been blessed with many women who mentor our Scholars. We have grown from several young women each year to a total of 52 current. Of course, there were struggles but they have been steps o the ladder.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What sets us apart from other Scholarships is the mentoring piece. We believe that the $10,000 stipend is helpful but will never change their life. Mentors change lives. Mentors walk beside the student for the whole four years. They help build a community for these young women. Teaching them the unspoken language of college. The professional community is critical as these students move to internships and careers. Our graduation rate is 98%, a remarkable static in this demographic.
Pricing:
- $10,000 stipend to keep a girl in college
Contact Info:
- Website: Support our scholars.org
