Investing in a lifetime of learning
Watch Bailey Nelson’s speech to this year’s scholarship recipients.
Her senior year of high school, Bailey Nelson found herself exactly where she wanted to be—back inside an elementary school classroom. As someone who’d always dreamed of becoming a teacher, Nelson had jumped at the chance to gain early hands-on experience through courses at Scott Community College. But she knew that making teaching a lasting part of her future would mean figuring out a way to fund the next stages of her college education.
Winning the Central High School Teacher Education Scholarship through the Quad Cities Community Foundation proved key to doing just that. While the scholarship would help Nelson reach her long-term goals, she felt an immediate boost, too. “Suddenly, a tremendous burden was lifted off my shoulders,” she said. “I finally felt like my plans for the future were possible.”
For Sherry Ristau, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, the futures made possible by the hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships awarded each year belong not only to the students themselves but also to the wider community. “When we invest in young people, we are investing in a future that will positively transform our region forever.”
Indeed, Nelson didn’t wait long to begin paying her good fortune forward. After finishing her associate degree in just one year, she enrolled at Western Illinois University, where she became a leader in the school’s Society of Educators, organizing professional development opportunities for fellow students. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree only two years later, going on to work with bilingual children and teach literacy through AmeriCorps and the SpringForward Learning Center.
“All thanks to the scholarship, I was able to truly dig into my studies and extracurricular activities, without having to worry about finances,” said Nelson. “Sharing my passion for education with my students has been a wonderful opportunity—and one that has only been possible because of the chance the Community Foundation gave me.”
Today, Nelson is a middle school science teacher in the Davenport Community School district. But to call her journey a success story is to overlook just one thing—it’s not over yet. Still chasing new opportunities for personal and professional development, she’ll soon be able to add a master’s degree in education and a graduate certificate in education policy to her wall of diplomas. And on top her educational achievements, she’s already opened her own online education company to support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education for students across the globe.
As rare as a driving passion like Nelson’s is, each year dozens of Quad Cities students are fortunate to receive generous scholarships through the Community Foundation. This year, $457,500 will go to helping 49 students achieve their goals, whatever those may be. “One thing that our scholarship recipients have in common is the desire to continue learning, to continue growing as leaders and as citizens of the world,” said Randy Moore, Community Foundation chairperson.
See the full list of 2021 scholarship winners here.
Looking back on her experience, it’s no surprise to hear Nelson offering up words of wisdom for younger Quad Citizens receiving scholarships through the Community Foundation. “Leave no stone unturned, no curiosity unexplored,” she said. “Own your education in ways that allow you to shape it into exactly what you want it to be.”
To learn how you can start a scholarship fund that makes education more accessible to students in our community, contact Anne Calder, vice president of development, at 563/326-2840 or AnneCalder@QCCommunityFoundation.org.