On Thursday, May 5, the College of Western Idaho (CWI) Foundation is asking for support in helping to change students’ lives. The Foundation is participating in Idaho Gives; an annual 24-hour online fundraising event that supports the state’s nonprofits.
This year, the Foundation is supporting a scholarship established by CWI employee Nikki Houston. Called the "LTH Don't Give Up” Scholarship," Nikki's goal is to help single parents achieve their dreams of going to college.
“I am in no way rich,” she said. “But I felt strongly enough about this cause that I had to do something.”
Nikki is an enrollment advisor at CWI. She visits local high schools and talks to students about the benefits of going to college. Many of the people she talks to are at-risk students. She says a conversation with a single, pregnant teenage girl pushed her over the edge. The girl wanted to go to college but thought she couldn’t afford it.
“It absolutely broke my heart,” she said. “Money should never be an obstacle for a person who wants to go to school. So I asked my family to match my $250 donation to start a scholarship through the Foundation, and they did it.”
Thanks to Nikki’s friends, family members, and coworkers, the fund has already grown since it was created in December. To date, the scholarship has been awarded to two students.
"Thank you to the people who have devoted their time and money to this (cause),” Christina Northrop, a CWI nursing student, said. “I want them to know how much I really appreciate the opportunity they're bringing to people like myself. It's important that they know their effort is not taken for granted."
Idaho Gives begins at midnight on May 5 and ends at 11:59 p.m. To join Nikki’s cause click here. The site is currently set up to accept prescheduled donations. Any contribution made between now and the end of the day on May 5 will go toward the “LTH Don’t Give Up” Scholarship fund.