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2009 Scholarship Competition Winners
Author Linda Lael Miller’s Scholarships
Help 10 Women Work Toward Helping Others
SEATTLE, WA—Ten women who’ve struggled with poverty, prison or health issues have won the 2009 Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women. Each winner, despite her current life challenges, seeks to obtain her education so that she may be of service to others.
“My philosophy is, 'Educate a woman, impact endless future generations,'" said Miller, a New York Times bestselling author of more than 80 novels.
Miller has awarded scholarships for the past nine years to women 25 years or older who have a difficult time finding scholarships for which they qualify. As in previous years, the grants may be used not only for tuition and books, but also for child care, transportation and other expenses not covered by traditional scholarships. Each of this year’s winners will receive $1,000.
Miller is no stranger to adversity. She struggled for years as she worked toward her dream of becoming an author. She started the scholarship program “as a way to give back. I was once a single parent, with my back to the wall a lot of the time, and I know how it feels.”
More than 1,700 women across the United States and Canada applied for Miller’s 2009 scholarships. Application essays were judged on readability, demonstration of commitment to the applicant’s education/career and on the possible impact of the scholarship on the life of the recipient, her family and/or her community. These following 10 women received top scores in all categories by the judges.
The 2009 winners of Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women are:
Deana Becker, Los Angeles, CA
About a year after Deana Becker’s son was diagnosed with autism, she noticed that her child was mesmerized by TV shows. The pre-schooler, now 6, who had lost his ability to communicate, began to imitate the dialogue he heard on screen.
“I took full advantage of his new interest,” said Becker, 40, “and I exposed him to as much educational television as I could. By using the television as a learning tool, I was able to engage in dialogue with him.”
The realization sparked an idea and then a goal. Becker dreams of creating TV shows for children with special needs.
“My goal is to one day create programming that will be the standard by which all children’s television will be judged,” said Becker, who’s pursuing a degree in film making.
What wisdom has Becker gained from life’s struggles? “You are usually capable of much more than others expect of you. Look at obstacles as another opportunity to succeed and feel as if you've conquered the world.”
She will apply her scholarship award toward student fees.
Christina Brown (name has been changed), San Rafael, CA
Christina Brown has spent her life caring for others. Her dad’s absence and her mom’s special needs required Brown to serve as mom to her five younger siblings. Today, the single 30-year-old is rearing three children and she continues to care for her 25-year-old autistic brother.
While giving of herself, Brown has kept the goal of being the first in her family to receive a college degree alive and well. In 2000, she graduated with honors and two associate’s degrees. She then transferred to San Francisco State University to continue to work toward her dream of becoming an attorney. Her studies—and life—were interrupted by a diagnosis of cancer—stage II Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Successfully treated, Brown looks forward to graduating in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
“I have had a very hard life and many obstacles to overcome,” said Brown. “I am determined to break my family’s cycle of poverty. I don’t want my children to have to endure the struggles that I had growing up.”
Brown’s advice to other women struggling with life’s challenges: “Always, always think positive, help others and do your best.”
Brown will use her scholarship to pay for school supplies and gas.
Susan Carroll, Colorado Springs, CO
Susan Carroll believes her struggles with Ommen’s Syndrome, a rare genetic disease, has been a blessing—a blessing she’s had to accept—but a blessing, nonetheless.
“I sincerely believe that people who have to struggle through life, people who find that things just do not come easily—even small basic things—are blessed. They are blessed because they know what it means to truly struggle so that when little hiccups come in life they don't sweat it. They know what it means to truly struggle so they deeply appreciate when things go well.”
Carroll’s known health struggles all her life. At 5 months old, she received a bone marrow transplant and then developed graph versus host disease. Later she developed skin cancer. When she felt her health conditions were under control, the 28-year-old decided to go to college to study psychology.
“I dream of becoming a pediatric psychologist,” said Carroll. “I’d like to work in a hospital counseling chronically ill children and their families, in the hopes of helping them cope in a healthy way with their illness—and life in general. I feel that, although life can offer hard knocks, it is my job to take those hard knocks and offer a helping hand and a listening ear to those in need.”
Carroll will use the scholarship to pay for books.
Amy Hill, Colorado Springs, CO
Many people ask Amy Hill how she maintains her loving, resilient attitude. A wife, mother of four, including a son with cystic fibrosis, full-time student and cancer survivor, Hill said she knows she’s strong-willed, smart and empowered.
“It is my responsibility to show my children what hard work and perseverance can do for you,” said the 36-year-old. “My children are learning that you can achieve anything you want in life, even if the battle is an uphill one.”
Hill said after trying to live on low-paying jobs, she realized she needed to attend college in order to secure a better job for her family. While her husband works, Hill is pursuing a degree in respiratory therapy and would like to work in a neonatal intensive care unit. She also dreams of owning her own home someday.
Hill’s motivating force: “I always remember that God has a plan for me, and I can accomplish my goals no matter what gets in the way.”
Hill will pay for gas and child care with her scholarship.
Jennifer Key, Kansas City, KS
At age 23, Jennifer Key decided to take life into her own hands. She made peace with her father’s suicide and her mother’s addiction, left her abusive husband of eight years and returned to school.
Today, at age 28, the mother of five has completed her GED and is a full-time student studying to be an attorney.
“I would like to eventually work in the social services field,” said Key. “I want to work in a position that allows me to help make the quality of other people’s lives better.”
Key volunteers at the local domestic abuse shelter and serves on the board of a youth soccer association. She said her children and her goals keep her motivated.
“Each one of us is blessed with special abilities and talents, and adversity adds character,” said Key. “For me, adversity has allowed me to see in a positive way what others would see negatively.”
Key will use her scholarship award to pay for gas and tuition toward a degree in law and society.
Rebecca Kolar, Edmond, OK
Rebecca Kolar fondly recalls when she was happily married and pregnant with her second child.
“My life was magical, and I was so very happy,” Kolar said.
Her daughter was born eight weeks early, tiny and struggling to breathe. The little baby survived and joined the family at six weeks old. Just over a year later, the toddler suffered a stroke.
“My daughter’s entire right side was paralyzed,” said Kolar. “She’s dealt with years and years of therapy and medication. After my daughter’s illness, my marriage failed. I look back and try to understand how I made it through such difficult times, and it was always with the help of wonderful, caring nurses.”
With her children grown and doing well, Kolar, 45, decided to fulfill her dream of becoming a labor and delivery nurse. Kolar said she feels grateful that she has the opportunity to give back in the same way that the nurses helped her daughter.
Kolar’s advice for overcoming adversity: “Look for the silver lining in everything; it is there—you must look through your tears sometimes to find it.”
Kolar will pay for tuition with the scholarship.
Heidi McCurdy, White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
As a struggling single mother, Heidi McCurdy has found solace through expressing herself creatively. With crippling knee injuries and a paycheck nowhere in sight, McCurdy relied on her creative spirit for inspiration and motivation.
“I have learned that it’s vital to maintain hope for the future, even if the present seems enormously difficult,” said McCurdy, 38. “The nature of life is change, and just as things sometimes get worse, they also get better.”
McCurdy dreams of using expressive arts therapy with women who are depressed, in transition, or recovering from trauma, as well as with children with learning disabilities.
“I’d like to guide a creative experience into a therapeutic and emotionally healing one,” said McCurdy.
Her scholarship award will go toward tuition in an expressive arts therapy program.
Barbara Paulus, Springfield, OH
After Barbara Paulus happily worked as a nursing assistant for 22 years, her personal doctor told her she needed to find another line of work. Her body could no longer sustain lifting patients. The news came at the same time Paulus was dealing with an abusive husband. She left her husband, retrained into information technology and tried to move on with her life.
In 2007, a trip to the emergency room for a severe headache revealed a mass at the base of her skull and cancer in both breasts. Paulus spent more than a year recovering from surgeries, but through all her health challenges, she found the time to encourage others—either in person while in the hospital or online.
Paulus currently maintains more than 20 Web sites and dreams of running a Christian-based computer learning center.
What has helped Paulus through her adversities? “Never listen to others telling you what you can’t do or that you’re not going to make it. I have been through an abusive marriage and cancer—if I can do it, you can too!”
She will use her scholarship award for school supplies.
Anne Phillips, San Diego, CA
 Anne Phillips said she has witnessed the “divine power of nurses.” When her father was dying of lung cancer, nurses helped make him comfortable before his death.
“Nurses are the liaison between the physician and the patient, between life and death of a patient. They are the angels,” said Phillips.
The oldest of nine children in a poor, rural, Nebraska family, Phillips began college at 19 to study to be a doctor. She became pregnant and postponed her dreams. She devoted herself to caring for her three children. When her youngest child graduated college in May 2009, Phillips picked up her medical field goals again.
“I dream of being a hospice or home health care nurse in a rural area,” said Phillips. “The need is great for compassionate, well-trained nurses to maintain quality of life at home for long-term patients. I have seen the way quality nursing care improves a patient’s sense of peace. I want to extend this to the patient’s home care.”
Phillips’ advice to women battling life’s challenges: “Always put your family first. Raising healthy, happy children is the most important job you’ll ever do.”
Phillips will apply her scholarship toward tuition.
Ellen Sexton, Omaha, NE
What would the now-52-year-old Ellen Sexton go back and tell her 15-year-old self if she could?
“Instead of looking at the big picture, which many times can look so overwhelming, think about the next small step. Small steps eventually lead to big steps.”
At 15, Sexton dropped out of school, ran away from home and got pregnant. She spent a few years struggling to make ends meet with no education and two daughters. At 20, after completing her GED, she enrolled in college, determined to offer her children a better life than she had. At age 22, Sexton suffered a stroke, which left her paralyzed and partially blind. Unable to communicate with her college, she flunked all her classes and her student loans defaulted.
A few years later, Sexton returned to college. In 1983, her 5-year-old daughter was killed by a bus.
“I fell apart,” said Sexton. “My life was a downward drop. I had no interest in anything. I ended up going to prison not once, but three times, over the next 20 years. Over and over counselors would tell me that I didn’t belong there. They could see there was something more to me even though I could not see it myself anymore. Then my grandson was born, and he was identical to my dead daughter. I knew I had to pull myself together and be the woman I was meant to be.”
Sexton, grandmother of two, dreams of helping women avoid the same path she took, as well as helping women coming out of prison. She’s keenly interested in studying poverty’s impact of criminality and designing prevention programs.
“The way out is to obtain education,” said Sexton.
She will use the scholarship for school supplies.
For more information about Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, visit www.LindaLaelMiller.com.
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