Scholarship Provides Financial Certainty During an Uncertain College Experience

April 2020: Scholarship Provides Financial Certainty During an Uncertain College Experience

Korbin Zvokel’s sophomore year wrap up unlike any other. His Community Foundation Scholarship provided consistency in the changing world.

The Purdue University junior had just begun the second semester of the 2019-2020 school year in his newly declared major of Video Production when the pandemic unfolded. He was forced to complete his spring semester and several of his projects and assignments virtually. However, the 2018 Wes-Del Middle/High School graduate and Dr. William and Thelma V. McNabney Scholarship recipient still found the silver lining of an unexpected ending to his sophomore year.

“It was really a blessing in disguise to have just changed majors before experiencing the pandemic,” Korbin shared. “I can’t imagine still trying to continue with the engineering major and being so unhappy while COVID was happening. It would have made things a lot worse.”

Despite the uncertainty that the pandemic caused, Korbin had one less worry for his education. His scholarship from The Community Foundation would support him through a change in his major, virtual semesters, and campus restrictions. He knew his scholarship would be there for him when he returned to campus in the fall.

2020 SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

$193,665 AWARDED TO 59 STUDENTS AT 15 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS

$3,300 Average Scholarship. | $20,000 Maximum Award (over four years)

Korbin, a video production major at Purdue University, brought awareness of COVID-19 to his peers by creating videos as a Purdue Protect Ambassador.

“The McNabney Scholarship made it possible to change my major and still be able to finish out school without having to worry about paying for tuition each semester,” Korbin said. “It has been very significant.”

Scholarships established at The Community Foundation are flexible. The funds are not limited to tuition and fees but can be applied to a student’s greatest need of their cost of attendance. Community Foundation donors trust that their gifts will be invested and stewarded to provide the greatest impact on students or the community, even during a crisis.

“The scholarship has made a huge impact on me. Money for college has been one less thing that I have had to worry about among the stressful things with the pandemic,” Korbin said. “Not having to worry about how I’m going to pay for school next semester was a huge relief.”

In his scholarship essay from 2018, Korbin wrote about his aspiration for doing something to make a difference, whether large or small. His passion for bettering our society and being a difference-maker motivated him to attend college. That is why it is no surprise that Korbin became a Protect Purdue Ambassador in the fall of 2020. He set out to bring awareness about COVID-19 to people his age.

“As a Protect Purdue Ambassador, I encourage other students on campus to be accountable and help keep each other safe from the spread of COVID-19,” Korbin explained. “I believe that young people have to buy into the seriousness of the pandemic. It’s important for me to protect my family and friends, and even people I don’t know.”

Korbin’s life will forever be changed by the impact of the McNabney Scholarship and the intuitiveness of the couple who established the fund. The Community Foundation has become an important ally for hundreds of students on their way to post-secondary education. If Korbin’s aspirations and commitment to his community, both in West Lafayette and in Muncie, are any indication of his future, we are grateful to be part of his journey.