Blog Post #6: What does the Hixson award mean to me?

     "Life is not easy for any of us. But what of it? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained." - Marie Curie
I think this quote greatly exemplifies what we as Hixson scholars have gone through in life, and where we are now. We have all struggled, yet persevered, and accomplished a great feat. 
    It's difficult for me to come up with a solid answer to the question, "What does the Hixson award mean to you?" because words really cannot explain the gratitude I have for this award. All my life, I have worked so hard in everything I've done, whether it be school, sports, theatre, my job, etc. in hopes that it would all one day pay off. After everything started falling apart in my life, I cannot tell begin to say how many times I just considered giving up. I always had a small voice in the back of my head telling me to keep going, and that everything will be okay and worth it in the end. I kept going on, persevering through it all, and thriving. 
    My senior year, I was working so hard to prepare for college, and really focusing on my academics. Once I knew I was accepted to Iowa State, I started looking into scholarships, and found this one. I finally realized that this could be an opportunity for all my hard work to pay off (literally!). When I got my letter in the mail telling me I was awarded the scholarship, I felt so relieved, and so incredibly proud of myself and all my work. 
   For me, this award is a symbol for all the hard work I've done in my life, and my strength to move forward past all the hardships I faced. It was tangible evidence of my perseverance and dedication to my academics. Winning this award was the proudest moment of my life, and I will be forever grateful. I have met so many great people through this program and have already created so many memories in just my first year! I can honestly say my life has forever changed thanks to Christina Hixson and her support for my higher education.