NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – First-generation college students at Tennessee State University are gaining well deserved recognition for their hard work and dedication. Recently, two TSU students received $5,000 scholarships from Ascend Federal Credit Union, aimed at supporting the educational pursuits of diverse, first-generation students across Middle Tennessee.
TSU students Dasia Rodgers of Flint, Michigan, and Dimitrius Ausby of Chicago, Illinois, were each awarded $5,000 for their academic achievements by the largest credit union in Middle Tennessee. The students’ respective colleges selected them as recipients of the Ascend scholarship.
Rodgers, a rising senior studying business administration, has a 3.84 GPA.
“You apply for so many scholarships and sometimes the chances of being selected are slim to none,” Rodgers said. “I was shocked when I received the email in June. I was really proud of myself.” She noted that being a first-generation college student is a goal that’s bigger than herself but also for her family. She looks forward to a career in the sports marketing industry after college. “It’s the reason why I put so much effort into my academics,” she said.
Ausby, a rising sophomore studying computer science, shared similar sentiments about being the first in his family to attend college. “I want to be better than the last generation, so I’m trying to pave the way for the next generations to come,” Ausby said. “And I feel blessed about this opportunity.”
Along with focusing on his career, Ausby is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery, the Google Student Development Club, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Ausby said the scholarship will reduce financial burdens and will help him strive to become a data scientist after college.
The credit union also awarded scholarships to two students at Fisk University.
Ascend President and CEO Matt Jernigan said the power of education can transform lives and communities. “By awarding these scholarships to first-generation students at Fisk and TSU, we are not just investing in their futures, but also in the future of our Middle Tennessee communities,” Jernigan said. “We are proud to support these exceptional students as they embark on their educational journeys and strive to make a lasting impact on the world.”
Dr. Ashanti Chunn, the Assistant Director for TSUs You First Project, said championing first-generation students is critical and sponsoring their success reaches beyond academics. “It is laying the foundation to building a lasting footprint,” Chunn said.
“To be a first-generation student is to accept the opportunity to create a new heritage and to blaze a distinctive path for those over whom you have the greatest influence. Tennessee State University understands that this special group deserves every support that we can provide them and therefore their needs are at the center of the work that we are doing.”
Chunn noted that first-generation students are optimistic, courageous, resourceful and determined. “Undoubtedly, Dasia and Dimitrius possess these qualities and were aptly recognized for them.”
These scholarships not only ease financial burdens but also inspire the next generation of students. For more TSU first-generation resources, visit www.tnstate.edu/youfirst/ or www.tnstate.edu/fye/.