SFCC Foundation Scholarships
For many students, life has a way of presenting overwhelming challenges. At SFCC, there are numerous resources to help each student earn a degree. One such program is Contract for a Better Tomorrow. “Words are not sufficient to quantify my feelings as a recipient of the CBT Scholarship,” says Angela Udemezue. “CBT inspires me to achieve my BSN by encouraging and supporting me. Because of CBT, I am optimistic about having a bright future.” Angela is a student in SFCC’s associate-toBSN partnership with New Mexico State University. She and her husband Gabriel are from Nigeria. Both are the first in their families to go to college. Together, they visited SFCC, and upon discovering a friendly and helpful environment decided to enroll. They will graduate in 2017, earning at once an AAS and a BSN degree.
Medical Assisting major Andrea Lomayaktewa (Hopi) explains that being a part of CBT is so important to her because it helps pay rent, buy food and provide extra cash. “It feels good to know that I earned that money by attending class and getting good grades,” she says. “There are times when I want to give up, but the staff here are willing to help students succeed in their schooling, and I tell myself that I am here to show my younger siblings that hard work does pay off.” Valerie Grimley, Ph.D., manages the CBT program. She knows that for some students staying focused on studies can be hard. “Through CBT I can give them the support and the encouragement to address those obstacles and keep them on a path to graduate.”
Contract for a Better Tomorrow is a performance-based scholarship that helps first-generation college students graduate from SFCC. The scholarship and individualized support that students receive through CBT are an investment on behalf of the Domanica Foundation, with matching funds from the SFCC Foundation. Thanks to the support of SFCC Governing Board Members and others, CBT has graduated more than 300 students since the partnership began in 2005. To learn more, contact Student Employment Program Manager Valerie Grimley at 505-428-1285 or valerie.grimley@sfcc.edu.
