Four Vermonters reflect upon the power of education in their lives
No matter where you are in life, September may often feel like back-to-school season. Today we share words from some students we've spotlighted, as they reflect upon the opportunities made available for Vermonters through learning and education. In their own words:
"My goal is to become the type of teacher I would have wanted to have."
Hannah Jenkins (she/them) realized teaching would offer her a sustainable way to continue to pursue music-and that path required a college degree. Focused on her future as an educator (and now pursuing visual arts rather than music), she's on track to graduate in spring 2026 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a bachelor's in K-12 art education from Vermont State University's Johnson campus.
Hannah is part of the TRIO program, which provides tutoring and advisory help for modest-income or first-generation students who may need additional support in college. TRIO connected Hannah with services for learning challenges and helped her identify VSAC scholarships and loans that are helping them save tens of thousands of dollars. It's allowing Hannah to pursue a career that's right in tune with her personal mission: helping others.
My goal is to become the type of teacher I would have wanted to have. Because I've struggled with undiagnosed disabilities, I understand how students can struggle academically and how much that can harm their confidence. I want to be a teacher who's willing to listen to those students and adapt their teaching style to help them be successful. It takes time and patience, but it's so important.
"Living healthy provides the energy to reach your personal goal, whatever that may be."
For Prince Awhaitey, health is a family business. His mom owns her own African grocery store in Burlington, where he moved with his parents and younger sister right before he started high school. Inspired by his mom's desire to help people with healthy food, Prince's initial aspiration in college was to be a nurse or physician's assistant. After his first nutrition class at Virginia State University, he knew he'd found his passion and switched majors to graduate with a bachelor's in dietetics.
He earned a master's degree in special education from Virginia State and a master's in nutrition and food science from the University of Vermont. When he decided he wanted to earn his dietician's license, he turned to VSAC. Prince first became familiar with VSAC in high school, as a source of college loans, and then found that VSAC could offer financial support for a non-degree program too. He now has a year left in his course of study, which is an online dietetics certification program offered through the University of North Florida.
Prince's interest in health is also reflected in his business, The Coco Bar, which helps support corporate wellness programs that inspire employees to optimize their nutrition and physical activity. The Coco Bar sells customized coconuts, which Prince laser-engraves with corporate logos, for organizations to give away as promotional items.
"It's a sustainable giveaway that promotes health. It's more exotic than a stress ball or a keychain, and it doesn't end up in the landfill. You can drink the water, you can eat the coconut meat or use it in cooking, and you can make the husk into a candle or keep it as a souvenir. People love it," he says.
Prince is motivated by his interest in teaching people about the benefits of healthy eating and sees tremendous opportunities for people in Vermont. It is that perspective that convinced him to invest in his education.
"The experience I have has given me the confidence to basically build my own brand."
"How do I get on that boat?"
Shavonna Bent looked forward to her family's annual summer visit to the ocean in Falmouth, MA, but she especially loved visiting the Woods Hole Science Aquarium, where her interest in oceanography was kindled. She got her undergraduate degree in Biology from the Johnson campus of Vermont State University and her education journey came full circle as she's just completed her PhD program in Chemical Oceanography at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where she did indeed get to board the boat of her childhood dreams.
As part of her doctoral research, Shavonna has traveled three times from Punta Arenas, Chile, to Palmer Station, one of three U.S. research bases on the coast of Antarctica. The four-day boat ride crosses some of the toughest seas in the world. In Antarctica, she and her team studied how climate change is impacting the ecosystem of Antarctica's Southern Ocean, a region that plays a critical role in removing carbon from the atmosphere.
As she wrote her dissertation this spring, Shavonna reflected on how she got to Antarctica from Randolph, Vermont. As a first-generation college student, she found the college application process overwhelming, so she worked closely with VSAC's Talent Search program and her VSAC Outreach Counselor, who helped her navigate the admissions process, financial aid, logistics, and more. She had incredible mentors along the way, like her professors and the scientists she conducted research with. Her advice to others?
"You've got to be adventurous and bold. Go after what you want."
"He taught me everything I know."
Jared Preseau credits his grandfather with a lot - teaching him to hunt and fish, how to hay, and letting Jared look over his shoulder as he worked on the family farm's equipment. He also wanted Jared to go to college. Jared's grandfather passed away two years ago, but his legacy and mechanical knowledge live on through his grandson.
While Jared was initially opposed to taking his grandfather's advice on formal education, he reflected on his plans and started to think about what a college education could mean for him. Through VSAC's GEAR UP college and career readiness program, he began to meet with his VSAC Outreach Counselor; his next step was attending a college fair.
Jared ultimately chose Northern Maine Community College for its diesel and hydraulics program, and its affordable tuition. Jared is starting there now, and he's already got a jumpstart through hands-on learning. His experiences have given him an approach that will serve him for life:
"If I break something, I'll just try again and figure out how to do it. That's the only way you're going to learn."
The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 as a public nonprofit agency. We advocate for Vermont students and their families to ensure that they have the tools they need to achieve their education and training goals. We create opportunities for all Vermont students, but particularly for those -- of any age -- who believe that the doors to education are closed to them. Growing families save for education with VT529, Vermont's official 529 savings program. To help Vermonters plan and pay for college or job training, our counselors work with students in nearly every Vermont middle school and high school, and are also available to work with adults. Our grant, scholarship, and workforce development programs create opportunity, help students re-skill or learn new skills, and grow the economy. VSAC's loan and loan forgiveness programs provide competitive education financing to students and families. Find us at www.vsac.org or visit Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.