| It is not a coincidence that when I look back at my | | | | always assumed it was access to the library store |
| school days and I think about who did what with | | | | room and guessed it was kept closed for security |
| their life. I quickly realize that those who had few | | | | reasons. Nothing is what is seems, so be diligent. |
| false starts with their education had a member in | | | | A quick chat about eligibility followed. Application |
| their family go to college before them. | | | | forms were handed over. They were promptly |
| Some people are lucky if one of their parents, aunt | | | | completed and returned to the office and to my |
| or uncle had trod the path before them and can hand | | | | amazement within a month I was called for an |
| them over the treasure map. Perhaps the treasure | | | | interview. |
| map is outdated but it will have enough landmarks for | | | | I can tell you now that my academic record was not |
| them to find their way through the labyrinth of | | | | responsible for me getting the scholarship. It was just |
| graduate education that include things like how to | | | | above average with some false starts. Startled by |
| carry out a college scholarship search and how to | | | | this I hand to find out. So I asked. Their response |
| search for your college of choice . | | | | was. |
| If you are the first in your family to go to college | | | | "You were so enthusiastic about your subject during |
| sometimes you have only second hand information to | | | | the interview process despite your false starts that |
| go on. But second hand information can still be good | | | | we were confident that you could overcome any |
| enough. | | | | problems in the future. |
| My defining moment was when I found out from the | | | | We like to support people that can overcome |
| friend of a friend who incidentally heard from the son | | | | obstacles as you will encounter many in your life. You |
| of our careers officer that they had been able to | | | | have shown that you can, with some of your false |
| find money to go to college. Interestingly he didn't call | | | | starts." |
| it money those are my words. He called it "A | | | | Thanks to this charitable trust I was able to go to |
| Scholarship" I later found out that this was "Free | | | | college and study Applied Biology on a four year |
| Money". Yes free money. As in, you don't have to | | | | scholarship. I don't want to blow my own trumpet |
| pay it back. | | | | here because that is not what I am about but bigger |
| Here my story begins. | | | | and better things followed. That is a full time job with |
| I asked around to make sure that what I had heard | | | | a biotechnology company with a two year grant to |
| wasn't gossip and yes it was confirmed by some of | | | | study for a master's degree in molecular pathology in |
| my teachers. I suppose the moral of the story at | | | | part time mode. I graduated with distinction and this |
| this point is that if you don't ask you don't get. | | | | led to an offer of a three year grant to study for a |
| I found the office. It was a charitable organization | | | | PhD in chemical pathology. All this from the humble |
| based in the main library of our town. I had been to | | | | beginnings of a visit to a charitable trust in my local |
| the library many times before. I had even seen the | | | | town library that I had always thought was a store |
| closed door to the scholarship office before, but | | | | room. Be diligent and persevere. |
| because there were no signs on the door I had | | | | |