Congratulations to WLRC’s 2021-2022 Tuition Award Recipients!

One of the things that brings me joy each year is to announce the recipients of the WLRC Tuition Awards. Formerly awarded by UIC’s Chancellor’s Committee for the Status of Women, the tuition award goes to women students with unmet financial need. It is a small pocket of monies compared to what some larger units receive. But, with each note of thanks from the recipients, I learn how important small amounts of support can be in determining whether a student stays in school and completes her degree. Our recipients are future scholars, physicians, dentists, engineers, disability rights advocates. They are raising their own families, taking care of siblings, surviving violence, and trying to overcome incredible obstacles that many cannot imagine. And yet, they are still here. We celebrate them, not just as award recipients, but for what we know they will do and be as they help to re-shape UIC and the world they encounter after graduation.

Natalie Bennett

Jane An
Biological Sciences

“I would like to thank the Women’s Leadership & Resource Center (WLRC) for furthering the opportunity to continue my education at UIC as a Biological Sciences major and Public Health minor. As someone who has not received much government assistance to fund my education in the past, I feel extremely fortunate that WLRC is working to promote awareness and recognize the needs of women with diverse backgrounds. I can now say that I will be able to focus solely on my education for the remainder of the semester without financial strain for me or my parents. I will continue to work towards my higher education and personify the mission of WLRC!”

Zoe Bridges
Disability and Human Development

“I am honored to be a recipient of the UIC WLRC Tuition Award for the Fall 2021 semester. Over the past 2 years, I’ve learned so much about myself as a student, disability advocate and my identity as a black woman. I’ve found new passions through my interdisciplinary education and strive to learn more from the amazing faculty in my undergraduate program. Being a student during the pandemic challenged me in ways I never would’ve thought. But, through perseverance and determination, I found an unwavering strength and power within myself. Being a leader has always been a trait of mine that I hold dear because I want to inspire young BIPOC students to be vocal about the issues that matter most to them. I’m happy to be one of many ambitious, like-minded undergraduates receiving this award because it is validating to see my hard work pay off. Thank you Dr. Natalie Bennett and the Women’s Leadership and Resource Center for selecting me.”

Neshunda Cannon
Applied Health Sciences

“I am so excited grateful and thankful for this award. I have had an unforgettable experience at UIC, and this award will make a big difference in my life and continuous studies. This award will help me to continue my dream and add in me furthering my education to graduate school. This scholarship will open opportunities that I could not have afforded otherwise. It is an amazing feeling to have been fortunate enough to be consider for this award. It has done so much for me and words cannot express my gratitude.”

Olivia Meisenbach
Public Health

“Being award this tuition award truly means the world to me. As a first-generation student coming from a single parent household income, college seemed extremely farfetched for me. I am so incredibly grateful for this tuition award because it helped uplift some anxiety of mine on my future tuition payments. I am paying my tuition by myself and student loans, so having this opportunity helps me see clearer for my future after graduation. This tuition award from the Women’s Leadership and Resource Center has built my confidence in my schoolwork, my career path, and my finances for my university.”

Taahira Muhammad
Biological Sciences

“I am extremely grateful for the support of UIC WLRC and CAN as I’ve been completing my degree the last two years whether it be with the tuition assistance award, assistance with finding resources or invitations to participate in various programs groups held by WLRC and CAN. This award means I can finish the last year of my undergraduate studies focused primarily on my course load! My time at UIC has had highs and lows and it’s been filled with lessons and blessings, but it’s been incredibly rewarding to pursue this degree to become a future veterinarian. I’m excited to graduate in the spring 2022, to close out this chapter of my education at UIC, and be on my way to veterinary school!”

Erica Olavarria
Biomedical Engineering

“I am so incredibly grateful to be awarded the Women’s Leadership and Resource Center (WLRC) Tuition Award for the 2021-2022 academic year! As a first-generation college student, I’ve always had to pay my tuition costs independently, and as a result I often found myself struggling to find a balance between my education and working long hours to afford it. I am expected to graduate this Spring of 2022 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, and thanks to the WLRC, the fear of not being able to afford my final year of study has been alleviated. Furthermore, receiving this generous award shows me that it is possible to come from a disadvantaged background and still obtain a college degree, even when it feels like all of the odds are against you.

Thank you, WLRC, for being an advocate for women in their educational pursuits. I can’t wait to see what my future holds!”