Gifts to this fund provide scholarships to students in financial need including students facing emergency situations that can derail their pursuit of an education.
Veronica Cucci thought her future was mapped out by the time she finished high school.
With a Navy ROTC scholarship in hand and a plan to study forensic science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, her next chapter seemed set.
Deep down, something tugged in a different direction.
“I was president of the Advertising and Public Relations Club in high school,” she said. “I was into the creative work, such as advertising, visuals and building things that told a story.”
The pull toward creativity never really left, so she let go of the ROTC scholarship and stepped into the world of strategic communication.
“I switched to the College of Journalism and Mass Communications and landed on Advertising and Public Relations,” Cucci said. “It just fits.”
As a full-time student balancing schoolwork with another full-time job, Veronica is dealing with more than just classes and deadlines. While that workload might seem too heavy for some, Cucci is living the fast-paced lifestyle she always craved.
“I work in sports full-time right now, and I will stay with the same company after I graduate,” she said. “I want to be in a creative, fast-paced and challenging environment where it’s never the same thing every day.”
Scholarships have played a pivotal role in making that dream attainable. Cucci is the recipient of a scholarship through the College of Journalism and Mass Communications N Fund. She said the financial security a scholarship like this provides helps her focus on her dream.
“Having scholarships eases the stress and challenges of life,” Cucci said. “It takes away the extra pain of knowing you do not have all these loans waiting for you after graduation.”
The security a scholarship like this provides doesn’t just affect Cucci. It lifts the weight of college’s financial burden off her entire family’s shoulders.
“My mom is so proud and grateful. I’m the last kid and the only one who went to college,” she said. “While my mom wraps up her career, I know how hard it is to manage bills. Having these scholarships means she doesn’t have to carry the burden of helping me pay for college.”
Thanks to the support of generous donors, Cucci can pursue her dreams of telling a story through hard work, passion and purpose.
“I am so grateful for the chance to pursue something I love and to be able to make my mom proud,” she said.
