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survivorship and patient services Great Lakes Foundation scholarship program funds survivors’ college dreams Nicholas McNeely of Shelbyville, Indiana, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor when he was 14 years old. After six months of chemotherapy, he was cancer-free. When it was time for Nicholas to apply for college, he heard about the American Cancer Society Great Lakes Foundation’s College Scholarship Program, which supports students and their families who have been through a difficult and draining cancer experience, not only emotionally and physically, but also financially.  When he was a senior in high school, Nicholas (shown right) applied and was awarded the scholarship for his first year at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. "I was grateful for the assistance," said Nicholas. The $1,000 scholarships are renewable up to three times based on academic performance and a completed renewal application, so he jumped at the chance for more financial help and renewed his scholarship multiple times.
Because of his scholarships, Nicholas looked for ways to give back to the Society. He served on the Vigo County Relay For Life’s committee during all four years at the institute and was a team captain for three years. While pursuing higher education, Nicholas stayed focused to not waste the opportunity he was given. Last summer, he had an internship in St. Paul, Minnesota, at Guidant Corporation, which makes pacemakers and defibrillators. In May, he graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. "I was very proud that I was able to make it," he said. Since graduation he has landed a job at Guidant Corporation, testing electrical chips that go into pacemakers. His personal cancer history is one of the reasons why he has chosen to work for a company that focuses on people’s health. "I’m not going to be a doctor, my skills are geared towards engineering," he said. "I figured out in what way I could do something that I could help with that set of skills." He encourages all students who are eligible to apply for a Great Lakes Foundation college scholarship. "I would highly recommend it," he said. "The assistance is very helpful in paying for school." To be eligible, a first time applicant needs to be a cancer survivor, age 20 or under; a U.S. citizen and legal resident of Indiana or Michigan; and attending, or planning to attend, an accredited college or university in Indiana or Michigan. Since 1997, the Foundation’s scholarship program has given over 350 first-time scholarships and close to 300 renewed scholarships. For information on how to prepare for next year’s applications, see this month’s Resource Highlight. | |
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