Rebecca Campbell
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Medtronic Scholarship, 2007
My scholarship has helped me achieve a dream to study abroad. Last year I signed up to go on a semester study abroad trip to Sydney, Australia to study art and music. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and it came up unexpectedly. I was a junior, and academics at my home campus were not quite what I had hoped they would be. I was ready for a challenge and when this trip came to my attention, I eagerly applied and got in. Little did I know that my school would not offer me any of my academic and athletic scholarships – which added up to a significant portion of my tuition -- to use for the semester abroad. Foruntately, my Medtronic scholarship still applied and helped to cover the cost of the trip. Without it I never would have had the amazing experience I had.

Returning from Australia, I've become a stronger, more confident person. My horizons have more than doubled and I now see myself as a global citizen who has an obligation not just to my immediate community, but to the rest of the world. The lessons I learned about the environment, indigenous groups, and relationships in Australia will impact me for the rest of my life, as will the amazing trips I took. As I return to my home campus this fall for my last year, my Medtronic scholarship is still at work helping to keep the cost of tuition down, so that next year I can continue to achieve my dreams.

Return to Michigan Stories | Return to 2000s Stories | Tell Us Your Story