Supporting Students and Ambitious Academic Endeavors

Autumn Clark is in her senior year at Northern Kentucky University and says she was drawn to NKU because the atmosphere on campus was so friendly, and she was excited to compete on the women's tennis team. Autumn has been competing since age five, sharing that the sport has been an important part of her life and even helped shape her educational goals. The inspiration to pursue medicine came during Autumn's senior year of high school when she sustained an injury that threatened her tennis career. "After my injury, I became very interested in anatomy. While going through physical therapy, I realized I loved the environment of a healthcare setting," she says.

This realization led Autumn to begin studying Exercise Science. But by the end of her first year at NKU, she discovered a love for the diagnostic side of medicine and its complex, puzzle-solving quality. Now, this pre-med student is majoring in Biological Sciences on the Cellular/Molecular/Genetics Track with a minor in Chemistry. This switch suited her growing interests and also brought about a new scholarship opportunity. As a recipient of the Larry Giesmann Biology Scholarship, Autumn is grateful for the financial support she received. "Because of the help I received from the Larry Giesmann Biology Scholarship, I was able to avoid taking on additional student loans to continue my education," she says.

Autumn credits the advice received from Biological Sciences faculty member Dr. Mary Schilling for the reassurance she needed to pursue a field of study that initially intimidated her. "When I was uncertain about what to do, Dr. Schilling was so reassuring. She convinced me that I could do it," Autumn says.

Receiving this kind of encouragement from a faculty member is reminiscent of a similar story that Autumn's scholarship donors cherish themselves. Her benefactors had a similar moment of inspiration when Dr. Larry Giesmann encouraged the then prospective pre-med student, Dr. Laura Trice, to pursue medical school and her dreams of becoming a physician. This moment of history repeating itself is proof of what can be accomplished when supporting student success and encouraging ambitious academic endeavors. The guidance and advice of excellent faculty members like these allow students to recognize the value of asking for help when needed. "Don't be afraid to ask for help. Go to office hours, ask questions, and get clarification on anything you're struggling with," Autumn says.

While discussing the impact of donor scholarships on Autumn's experience at NKU, she expresses the gratitude she believes all scholarship recipients share for scholarship donors. "The recipients of your giving are extremely grateful and appreciate that you've helped alleviate some of the financial stress we face. Thank you for this opportunity and for helping students succeed," she says.