One part of the mission of the Wake Tech Foundation is raising funds for students who need some assistance in making their dreams of higher education a reality.
Forty-one-year-old Daniel Clapper is one such student, and he is now well on his way to a career he’s truly passionate about. In 2012, when Daniel’s mother became ill, he decided to leave a management position in real estate to start his own business – in home health. He was confident on the business end, but knew he would need medical expertise to be successful. “I enrolled in Wake Tech because I knew the curriculum was top notch – and I live just a few miles from campus!”
Daniel completed nurse aide training, earned a certificate, and then began pursuing an associate’s degree in nursing. Although he’s happy as a student, he admits that juggling a job and nursing classes isn’t easy. “I worry about expenses,” he says, “so I turned to the Wake Tech Foundation. I didn’t realize that at my age I could get money for school!”
Foundation scholarships provide critical support for students by offsetting tuition costs, and in some cases, easing the burden of balancing school and full-time employment. The scholarships are awarded to Wake Tech students with demonstrated financial need or exceptional academic performance.
Daniel has received two scholarships from the Foundation and he says they’ve made a world of difference – in his life, and in the lives of those he can help. “Scholarship funds have eased my financial worries, but it’s so much more than that,” he says. “The money is making it possible for me to become a nurse and provide others with care. The impact on my life is not as great as the impact I will be able to have on the lives of my future patients.”
Daniel still has a ways to go to complete his nursing degree, but he says he’s confident he’ll succeed: “The support system at Wake Tech is incredible – from my instructors to the Wake Tech Foundation! The resources here are helping me reach my goals!”
Foundation scholarships can indeed be life changing. To learn more about scholarship opportunities, or to establish a scholarship for a deserving student, visit foundation.waketech.edu.
