Past Scholarship Recipients
2021 Scholarship Recipients
COVID-19 Relief High School Scholarship – Lila Thao
Hello, my name is Lila Thao, and I am a 2021 graduate of Sheboygan North High School. Although I was in high school during this time, I was actually dually enrolled and taking general education classes through our local technical college with the “Start College Now” program. My goal was to save money on college tuition and finish all of my general education classes by the time I graduated high school. To date, I have accomplished this and will be starting the Nursing Program at Lakeshore Technical College (LTC) this summer.
Ultimately, I’d like to obtain an Associate’s Degree of Nursing from LTC, then bridge on to a 4-year college to get my Bachelor of Nursing. Eventually, I’d like to go on further to get my Master’s. My goal is to give back to my community and help bridge patient communication and education through patient care. Through my experiences with loved ones, I have observed that the lack of healthcare with our Hmong community and elderly is not due to noncompliance, but more so, lack of patient education/understanding. I am hoping that by becoming a nurse, I will be able to help establish this vision through more thorough teachings.
I am from Sheboygan, WI and I live with my mother, stepfather, and half-sister. I enjoy traveling, shopping, and exploring new experiences. My hobbies also include photography, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
COVID-19 Relief College Scholarship – Tracy Thao
My name is Tracy Thao, and I am a student at the Milwaukee Area Technical College of Early Childhood program with dreams of becoming an Elementary Teacher teaching K5-3rd graders. I will be graduating this Fall 2021 with my Associate of Applied Science then transferring to a university college for my bachelor’s degree. My goal is to attain a career where I am passionate about working with children and knowing that my job is to help kids achieve their full potential and help them feel happier and better about themselves. I am employed as the Lead Teacher for the Before/After School program at the Whitefish Bay School. Aside from work and school, I enjoy going on adventures with my husband, spending time with friends and families, and watching live sellers on Facebook live. Thank you to “Our Scholarships'' for this opportunity and for believing in me. I’ll continue with my education so that when I become a teacher, I can keep our children smiling and teach them to love the joy of learning.
Non-Traditional Student Scholarship – Maimee Vang
Hi everyone! My name is Maimee Vang, born and raised in Wausau, Wisconsin. I graduated from D.C. Everest High School in 2014 and started my undergraduate career at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Psychology and a certificate in Education and Educational Services. After graduation, I worked as a children's therapist to complete in-home play-based therapy to children diagnosed with autism. I absolutely enjoyed this opportunity and learned so much about myself as it further strengthened my passion to become an Occupational Therapist. With all the support from my family, friends, and mentors, I started my Master's program at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Occupational Therapy this summer. As a future Occupational Therapist, I am eager to work with underrepresented populations and educate them about preventative actions they can take to improve their quality of life.
First Generation & Low-Income Scholarship – Xai Pha
I am 17 years old. I graduated from Memorial High School in Eau Claire, WI. I am an incoming freshman at UW-Madison, and I am undecided. My hobbies include soccer and video games. While in high school, I participated in Upward Bound, and I once participated in a Japanese Quiz Bowl in Minnesota. I also volunteered at many places such as the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club, and the UWEC pantry.
Social Justice Scholarship – Trinh Vo
I am a high school senior at Pewaukee High School. While I was in high school, I was an active participant in technical theater, firefighting/EMS, and music. I will be attending DePaul University for Political Science and Film Production with the hope of law school in the future.