Mayland Community College student Cathryn Hughes has been selected as one of only 10 recipients of the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Teacher Preparation Scholarship/Loan Program for this year. The scholarship program benefits prospective teachers. This is Hughes's second time in receiving this scholarship.
"Deciding to attend Mayland Community College was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Attending Mayland helped me grow academically and socially. In high school, I made good grades but a lot times I was intimidated by certain subjects. This intimidation often led me to believe that Math and Science were subjects that I could not do well in compared to English and History: Subjects that I loved.
"When I was accepted to Mayland, I made the decision that I was not going to succumb to intimidation. I believed that if I tried my hardest I could do anything. I really wanted to make an "A" in my math class. As much as I did not want to, I decided to take Survey of Mathematics during the summer. I am so glad I made that choice because I worked hard and got an "A." I now have a new understanding of the subject.
"I always believed that science was just a class I had to take to graduate from high school. Taking Biology at Mayland has made it fun and interesting. I now love Biology and ended up taking three Biology classes this semester. In my Marine Biology class, I had the opportunity to visit Houma, Louisiana and New Orleans during my Spring Break. My class was able to learn about marine organisms and experience the Cajun culture. It was an amazing trip.
"My communications class drowned my fear of public speaking. I am a Radio Announcer at our local radio stations, WKYK-Burnsville and WTOE-Spruce Pine. Communications has helped me with my grammar and articulation of words speaking on the air.
"My academic confidence has blossomed by attending Mayland. My GPA rose while having a harder workload. I have learned that I have a tremendous work ethic. During my first semester at Mayland, I took 13 credit hours. I am now in my final semester and have 19 credit hours while working a part time job. I was able to make the Dean's list every semester. My academic outlook has changed for the future and I am not afraid of a challenge.
"Mayland Community College has changed me socially. I was nominated by a faculty member to be a Mayland Ambassador. My social skills grew by accepting this position because I gave many tours of the college to prospective students. I was also asked to be a student model for publications for the college and I love doing it. I have also become involved with clubs such as Phi Theta Kappa.
"I truly believe that God intended for me to go to Mayland. By May, I will have graduated Mayland Community College with an Associate in Arts Degree and will transfer to Mars Hill College and major in Education. Mayland’s faculty is amazing and so helpful. I could not have gotten this far without them. If you are a senior in high school or an adult considering going back to school, I encourage you to choose Mayland. I am glad I did!"
Mayland Community College student Cathryn Hughes was selected as one of only 10 recipients of the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Teacher Preparation Scholarship/Loan Program for this year. The scholarship program benefits prospective teachers. This is Hughes's second time in receiving this scholarship.
"This is wonderful," said Hughes who is seeking an Associate in Arts degree that will allow her to transferred to a four-year university to continue her education. "I will be able to use the money for college now, and what is left over can also be used to cover expenses when I go to the four year university."
Hughes's future plans include teaching in the kindergarten through eighth grade levels.
"I would love to teach middle school social studies classes," said Hughes "and eventually I would like to work in a school library as their media specialist."
