Every spring, Comcast Oregon/SW Washington awards thousands of dollars in college scholarships to deserving high school seniors across our service area. This year, Amy Sloan of Wilson High School in SW Portland was one of our two recipients of our largest scholarship: the Comcast Founders Scholarship for $10,000.
We asked Amy a few questions about the impact of this award, her reflections on her recent past, and her dreams for the future.
What does the scholarship mean to you?
Financing my education has definitely been the most confusing and stressful part of the college application and selection process, and I have been made aware that scholarships are essential in affording post-secondary education. This scholarship in particular is significantly aiding me in my goal to graduate debt free; that alone is a massive weight off my shoulders. Graduating debt free is important to me because, after graduating, I want to be able to find a job that can make a difference rather than just a job that makes the most money. That concept and being able to afford college in general is absolutely a privilege, and having this assistance from Comcast enables me to follow my path through college to a future where I can have the tools to implement change and pursue my passions.
Tell me about a challenge you faced in high school.
Like many girls my age, I have struggled with self image and body image. As one can imagine, being surrounded by high school girls who constantly criticize their own and others’ appearances can definitely make that issue worse. Throughout high school, I have battled with the way I look and how that affects me internally. Sometime near the end of my junior year of high school, my friend took me dancing with her. This was the first time that I took a break from emphasizing what my body looked like and started appreciating what my body could do. This didn’t completely overcome my struggle all in one go or anything, but it led me to a new perspective that I could appreciate the things my body can do instead of constantly critiquing the things my body can’t do. In this way, one of my challenges became one of my highlights.
Why do you think you were selected as one of our two top award recipients?
Everyone has a story to tell, about how they’ve gotten where they are and how they’ve grown as a person. A big part of my story has been learning how to use my voice to speak up for my beliefs. This has led me to apply my passion and turn it into action; for example, I have long been passionate about mental health advocacy, but I was silent around the topic for years because I truly did not know what to say, how to say it, or how to do anything about it. As I moved through high school and other experiences, I was able to find the voice that allowed me to find outlets to express my passion in this field through volunteering, community outreach, and public awareness. I feel extremely fortunate and honored that my story resonated with the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship program, and I am grateful for the way that my voice has grown over time.
What are you most looking forward to in college?
I have been excited to go to college since I was about twelve. I have grown up in a fairly physically and politically homogeneous community, and I sometimes feel that I can’t effectively communicate my ideas by shouting into such an echo chamber. Any time I have traveled outside of my community I have learned something new from someone of a different background, and that is what I look forward to continuing in college. I am eager to meet people from different places who bring to the table different life experiences, and to learn from one another.
