When first researching the Catch a Break! Scholarship Program, I was surprised to find there were mentorship meetings and group events which complemented the financial award.

The estimated cost of attendance for 4 years of education at the University of Minnesota Duluth is $98,160 including tuition, room and board, and books among other expenses.

Transitioning from high school to college brings a lot of stress. Figuring out how to pay for college accounts for a significant amount that stress.

I was sitting in a school board meeting, nearing the end of my senior year, when I received a phone call that I didn’t know would change my whole life experience.

Catch a break! has been a tremendous help to me, and without it I may have not been able to further my education. That makes me very fortunate that I had some good councilors in high school, because I originally had made up my mind that I wasn't going to apply. I was unsure that I was who they were looking for, and the thought of a personal interview was honestly quite scary. However, one of my councilors managed to convince me to apply after a conversation about what my future could look like.

I was fortunate to be one of the first Catch a Break scholarship recipients. My sponsors, as well as a great advisors, mentors and friends are the epitome of generosity, humility and kindness. Although it’s daunting when I first looked at the scholarship application, I realized that it was my stories that made me stand out from other applicants.

The Catch A Break! scholarship means more to me than just being able to afford college. The sponsors gift has given me the opportunity to completely devote my focus on college. This has given me the time and opportunity to achieve high grades, find research positions, and make meaningful connections with faculty members as well as peers.