university news
Forever a Phoenix
Scholarship winners
By Julie Wilson
For six alumni, one email from University of Phoenix would mean the difference between the status quo and a wide-open future. In January, the University of Phoenix Alumni Association and University of Phoenix invited alumni to apply for the Forever a Phoenix® Scholarship program, a scholarship opportunity exclusively for them.
“Our Forever a Phoenix scholarship is open to alumni who have graduated from any University of Phoenix degree program,” explains Nikki Sandoval, executive director of Alumni Relations. “It is a full-tuition scholarship for alumni to further their education with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. It gives them the opportunity to continue their studies—on us.”
This year, six scholarships were awarded to Christina Benson, Thomas Gerke, Traci Robinson-Williams, Timothy Steele, Michael Wallace and Michael Zapawa. Recipients could choose to attend a ground or online campus. Only the first 300 eligible applications were considered.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity to our alumni,” says Sandoval. “Our Forever a Phoenix Scholarships help us demonstrate our spirit of lifelong learning in a meaningful, life-changing way. We wish our scholarship recipients the very best as they move on to the next phase of their education.”
 Christina BensonBachelor of Science in Business Management ’07 Home: A small farm in the heart of Amish country near Shreve, Ohio Forever forward thinking: Benson plans to use the skills she learns in her master’s degree program to further herself both professionally and personally, and the scholarship is making this dream come true. “I currently have one daughter in college and another coming up, so getting a full scholarship was the difference between jumping into this program right now or waiting until at least one of them was finished,” she says. “I truly appreciate the opportunity to advance my career and personal development today, rather than tomorrow.” |
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 Thomas GerkeBachelor of Science in Organizational Security Management ’10 Home: New Berlin, Wisconsin Forever seeking challenges: Gerke would like to earn his master’s degree so he will be prepared to take on further challenges at work. “An MBA [would] better [align] me for additional positions of higher authority and [would open] doors to new aspects of the business or government environment,” he says. “Having nearly 26 years of combined experience in the security fields, I have proven I can do the job, but an MBA [would enhance] the competitiveness of my resume against others.” |
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 Traci Robinson-WilliamsBachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing ’07 Home: Alexandria, Virginia Forever raising the bar: Robinson-Williams’ goal is to become the chief strategy officer for a technology organization. “Then, when I ‘grow up,’ I want to create nonprofit organizations that bring technology and jobs to developing countries,” she reveals. “I knew that I needed to understand more about global management, finance and global markets in order to effectively meet the challenges associated with both roles. I am confident that the skills I am learning will open these new doors of opportunity for me.” |
 Timothy SteeleBachelor of Science in Business with a Concentration in Information Systems ’10 Home: Dayton, Ohio Forever pursuing his dreams: Steele hopes his MBA will position him for a quality management position in today’s competitive job market. “This scholarship will allow me to continue my education and keep my dream of furthering my education alive,” he says. “I am hoping that with this scholarship and further education I can regain a position of top management for a quality organization. In addition, I would love to get back into teaching part time … so I can share my career experiences with students.” |
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 Michael WallaceAssociate of Arts in Information Technology ’08 Home: Bronx, New York Forever believing in himself: When Wallace was laid off in 2010, he wanted to return to school to pursue his bachelor’s degree. While his associate degree helped him land interviews and even job offers, he knew he would have even more opportunities if he continued his studies. The problem was a lack of funding. “I had to wait until I had a job and hope that the employer would pay for tuition. But even then, many employers cap the amount you can spend in a fiscal year,” he says. “So no matter what, finishing my degree seemed like it would take a really long time.” Wallace never gave up, and he applied for the Forever a Phoenix Scholarship as soon as he received the email about it. “I now will be able to work straight through and get my bachelor’s degree without having to worry about it financially,” he says. “I cannot stress how grateful I am to University of Phoenix for choosing me!” |
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 Michael ZapawaBachelor of Science in Business Management ’10 Home: Detroit, Michigan Forever persevering: For Zapawa, the only thing standing between him and an advanced degree was simple economics. “Frankly, due to cost I had essentially given up on a master’s degree program,” he admits. “The lesson here is that where there is a will, there is a way. This experience has been very inspirational!”
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