Harris Wins Spring 2024 Editor World Scholarship

Nikita Harris, a student in the United States, is the winner of the Spring 2024 Editor World First-Generation Student Scholarship. As part of the submission, applicants were asked to write an essay about what motivates them to complete their education. The scholarship is open to students in any education program, including technical and trade schools as well as those enrolled in an undergraduate program. Editor World offers a separate scholarship for graduate students once a year, so this scholarship is not open to those in a graduate program. This scholarship award is for a first-generation student  and our goal is to provide assistance with covering educational expenses.

A first-generation student is defined as one whose parent(s) to have not attended or completed a 4-year college or university degree. Editor World received more than 500 applications for the Spring 2024 Scholarship, and Harris was the selected winner. We are so impressed by her perseverance in the pursuit of her education! Read below for Harris's response to the essay question.  

Scholarship Essay Response:

I'm motivated by the drive to end generations of poverty in my family's lineage by obtaining a bachelor's degree. I grew up in a low-income household and faced much adversity as a child. Although I was a well-rounded student, I chose to go to work rather than attend college right after high school. While working, I went from dead-end job to dead-end job, making minimum wage for years. I quickly learned the value of having a degree.

Having a bachelor's degree opens doors to careers that seem out of reach without it. Having a bachelor's degree also affords one the option to negotiate better pay. I became determined to secure a job that would be my career by obtaining a bachelor's degree. First, I tested myself academically by setting the goal of obtaining a simple certificate in commercial music. Once I obtained the certificate I decided to pursue an associate's degree.

Through reverse transfer of credits, I proved to myself that I could stay in school and get a degree, as I acquired my Associate's degree in the Spring of 2023. I am now in my final year as a strategic communications major at the University of Houston. I have managed to make the Dean's list twice while attending college and have maintained a good academic standing even though I'm considered a non-traditional student.

Attending college full-time requires many sacrifices for a working student. I work multiple jobs and internships to pay my living expenses and it's very difficult to do so with inflation in the current economy. I'm determined to get a degree and improve the welfare of myself and my family members, regardless of the current hardships in the world. I would be the first in my family to get a degree after many failed attempts by my parents, and forefathers.