Corporate Connections Scholars Give Thanks

Since March 2020, Russell Sage College students have been home continuing their studies through remote learning. You will be glad to know that our students report that they feel supported and that their whole well-being is considered as we navigate this new learning environment.

We asked a few Corporate Connections Scholarship Recipients to share updates with you about how they are doing. Some of these students are on the front-line battling the epidemic while others are home contributing to the effort by making face masks. But all of them appreciate the scholarship support made by our generous donors.

During these bizarre and troubling times, it is important to remember to give- give support to those in need and give thanks to those providing support. So far, the government has provided little relief for current college students during this pandemic and has largely excluded us from financial support offered to other citizens. This has made the aid I have received from scholarships all the more helpful. I am so thankful for the private citizens and businesses who are helping us reach our education goals. Their noble and generous donations are an investment in a brighter future and provide a message of hope.

“Overall, my studies have been going well! I spend a lot of my time on school work.

I am currently socially distancing and not working, so I really believe that if I didn’t have school right now I’d be very bored! When I’m not doing homework, I’ve been trying to cook new recipes, exercise outdoors, and take car rides! I believe that we must listen to our government right now and follow all of the given precautions. The sooner we listen, the sooner we will be able to resume from our “on pause” program. I’m hoping that everyone is doing well and staying safe!”

My name is Hannah Weatherwax and I am currently a senior at Sage. The COVID-19 pandemic has really shaken my world in my final semester, changing many plans and events I was supposed to attend. My studies are going well as everything has now transitioned to online. Many papers and projects are in my near future as the semester is winding down. With this I’ve been trying to stay active by going on frequent walks for fresh air and finding different ways to connect with friends and family.

As a part time employee who has been furloughed for the time being, the corporate connections scholarships is something very important to me knowing I have received help from a donor. I value the generous donation that was given to help support me during this time. I want to thank you for your kindness in supporting not only myself but my peers at Sage as well.

Hello! I am a Senior Nursing student at Russell Sage College and am finishing up my last few weeks of classes before I graduate. I would have never imagined that all of my classes would be moved online, but the professors and students have been adjusting well to the new normal. I was fortunate enough to have finished my Capstone clinical experience at St. Peter’s Hospital just before the pandemic hit. I was working on the Postpartum and Labor and Delivery floors and will actually be working there as a nurse come July! I cannot express how grateful I am to have been a recipient of the Corporate Connections Scholarship, especially during my capstone experience. Spending 40 hours at the hospital for clinical, along with schoolwork and working part time, it was so helpful not having to worry as much about tuition. I was able to focus on my clinical experience and really get ready for becoming a licensed nurse in a few months. Since I won’t take my boards for another few months, I have been keeping busy volunteering with the Rensselaer County Medical Reserve Corps, which has been running informational phone lines in response to COVID-19. I have also been advocating to friends and family how to keep safe and prevent the spread of the disease. These are difficult times, but if we can all come together as a united front against the disease, we will get through this! Stay safe and healthy!

Hello all! My name is Julia Cobble and I graduated from Russell Sage College in December. Thanks to the Corporate Connections scholarship and other scholarships received for merit from the school, I was able to enroll right away into the Masters Program of Applied Nutrition at Sage.

I am so grateful that during this uneasy and unpredictable time I have the focus of school to keep my brain and heart going. After all that has happened the last two months, I am even more inspired to be studying and entering a field as a health professional. It is devastating events like this that remind us of how important our health and wellbeing is, and how essential health professionals are in our communities. Working towards being a Registered Dietician and learning about how to serve those that need education or assistance through their dietary practices and their access of nutritious foods and health services is motivating me to continue to work hard and exercise my body and brain through this quarantine.

With my extra time, I also was able to help out an amazing organization, ‘The MoonCatcher Project’ that I learned about through Sage’s community and service learning programs. I had volunteered for them before, helping with their mission to make reusable menstrual pads for girls in Africa to keep them in school. With the current situation, they have shifted their focus to making masks for health care workers, so last weekend I reached out to see if I could assist in any way even without a sewing machine. They needed people to cut materials for the patterns, so I ended up spending a couple of days cutting hundreds of patterns for the cause (pictured below). It is humbling and encouraging being able to contribute during this time of uncertainty and stress, but I know that taking any action, even if seemingly a small one, and spreading positivity is more productive than shutting down or giving up. One of my favorite quotes by Dolly Parton is, “the way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain”, so here I am working for a healthier tomorrow in any way that I can.

My final year at Russell Sage College was among one of the most difficult semesters in my extended college journey. I am happy to share that I have completed my bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences.

Next, I plan to continue forward in my academic adventure by pursuing my acceptance into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program beginning May 2020. In the beginning graduating from my small-town high school was considered an amazing feat for me and my family. I was the oldest grandchild and my father never received a diploma. Since the eleventh grade I knew a future in physical therapy was the only path for me. Thus, I set out on a journey to become “good enough (for such a program).” This part of my journey was difficult and required a great deal of persistence and a plethora of negativity intended only to let me know this dream of mine was not possible. I “didn’t meet requirements, it would be too hard, I was already a successful hairstylist.” Statements like this would persist straight through the ten plus year experience it would take me to complete a bachelor’s degree and achieve my acceptance into a DPT program. Each semester presented its own unique challenges. Challenges that I would meet and somehow manage to overcome. Each of which reminded me of my weaknesses and yet built my strength and character simultaneously.

There I was beginning my senior year a new mother to a 6-month-old son. Learning a few weeks into my semester that my father had died. This news coupled with new motherhood sent me into an emotional state that I was unfamiliar with and could not have expected. I was afraid to leave my house aside from making my attendance at school. Through this time of great vulnerability in my life I managed to remain in good academic standing and mother my son. It was during this time I learned that I had been selected to receive a scholarship sponsored by Corporate Connections Sponsorship Program. This was the motivation I needed to proceed forward as well as the personal validation I needed so much at the time. I remain grateful to my sponsor, Sano Rubin Construction Services, LLC and plan to pay it forward by continuing the generosity through becoming a future sponsor. As a student on the receiving side of this scholarship I know how important this program is to students of Russell Sage College. This is why I will work to ensure the presence of this sponsorship program.

I’ve been staying positive by listening to podcasts. It’s a great way to take your mind off of the stress, yet stay productive at the same time. I recommend By The Book!

I am doing surprisingly well during these turbulent times and am doing everything in my power to cheer people up. Covid-19 can be scary to think about and a little bit joy can cure just about anything. Just recently, I took a stroll around the neighborhood with Bert the Easter Duckling and left candy for children waving from their windows. Not long after that, there was an overflow of letters from grateful parents who are struggling to live normal lives once more. Also, as an essential worker who keeps the food industry running, I see how other civilians are doing their part to stay healthy and protect those with weaker immune systems. All of this is proof that even in the darkest of times, you’ll still find a little bit of light.