The Center for Education Solutions: Our Successes

For each of the past eleven years, the A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship has recognized the contributions of undergraduate students. As befits the ideals of the person it honors, Charnon scholarship recipients are a diverse group of people with exceptional dedication and commitment to their communities.

A few of our scholarship recipients share what this extra chance has meant to them:

"When I first started college as a full-time student during spring of 2000, I was afraid I would not be able to perform well in college due to the many barriers I had to overcome—full-time job, full-time parent of two, first-generation student, and multiple financial hardships.

Thanks to the financial support I have received from different foundations, such as the A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship administered by The Center for Education Solutions, I have been able to continue my college education. I cannot thank these people enough for their support and generosity. When I feel depressed and not capable of finishing my college degree, I think of all the people who believe in me and that gives me strength to keep on fighting for my dreams and goals.

The money that has been awarded to me has reduced some of the economic hardships I have encountered and has helped me focus more on my education. But there is something more valuable than money I have received – I have received the extra push, the extra encouragement to go on, and the opportunity to provide a better future to my children. I am proud to say that I have overcome many fears thanks to the education I have received at Weber State University, and I have learned to manage many of the challenges in my life and have gain confidence in myself. The knowledge and skills obtained in college thanks to the A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship will last a lifetime! brenda's photo

My career goal is to obtain a teaching major in Business Education and teaching minors in Spanish and marketing. I want to become a role model and a mentor to young people with the same background of poverty I grew up in. I want to help them become aware of their potential to do better and greater things for themselves and their community. I am a junior at Weber State University with a 3.6 GPA. I will be applying to get accepted into the Education Program at Weber State University Ogden, UT, this fall 2003.

Thanks A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship Committee for helping me get closer to reaching a goal I once thought unreachable!"
- Brenda Dominguez, 2002 Scholarship Recipient

"My name is Jacqueling Haley and I was a recipient of the A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship. I'm currently a senior at Ohio Wesleyan University, majoring in Sociology/Anthropology. In the fall, I plan to attend Graduate School for Social Work. Although my school doesn't have a Social Work major, I have acquired experience in the social work arena by working at the Delaware Juvenile Court, volunteering on a Native American reservation, and tutoring kids with Columbus Initiative. I'm preparing myself for social work by acquiring direct experience and knowledge. With your scholarship, I was able to remain a student at Ohio Weleyan and acquire more knowledge and direct experience in the Social Work arena. The A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship provided me with the extra funds I needed to to pay tuition. Thank you for assisting me in the pursuit of my goals."
- Jaqueling Haley, 1998 Scholarship Recipient

"When my fifteen year old gay son was outed by our minister, I never dreamed where that life-changing event would eventually lead me. Because of escalating verbal and physical attacks after our minister's outing of my son, I had to remove my son, Bruce, from high school. I had decided to assume the awesome responsibility of home schooling him. It was a very scary endeavor, particularly, since I was a high school dropout. But during my three year commitment to my son's education, I discovered that I loved learning. I loved being a co-student with him. I decided to enroll in college and earn a bachelor degree. The night before I was to attend my first class at Indiana University Purdue University at Columbus, I almost withdrew from school because I lacked confidence in my ability. I was 45 years old and was being frequently told I was too old to be a successful student. I would also be the first member of my family to have a college education.

I only attended school part-time because of financial reasons. The Center For Education Solutions gave me a vote of confidence in my ability as a student, not once but twice. The first year I applied, I was selected as a alternate for the scholarship. The following year, I was elated to learn that I had been selected for the scholarship. This scholarship and this vote of confidence in me helped me to have a very highly successful academic experience in college. With the scholarship, I began to attend full time. Since being awarded with my A. Patrick Charnon Memorial Scholarship, I have won the Outstanding Upperclassman Scholarship and the Adult Merit Scholarship. In addition, I have been inducted into three honor's societies. I will graduate this spring with a 3.98 GPA.
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After winning the Writer's Award at school, I wrote my autobiography "Journey to Moriah", which was published by Banta and Pool Publishers. An essay "Ms. Razz-Ma Tazz" that I have written is currently being published in a book called "Out of the Closets and into Our Hearts" by Leyland Publisher in San Francisco.

While attending school full time and simultaneously being on a book tour, I have had 130 speaking engagements in cities across the nation, lectured at 15 different college campuses, and given frequent radio, newspaper and television interviews to increase sensitivity to the plight of many gay and lesbian students who have to deal with such a hostile society.

It is amazing what a vote of confidence in one's ability can do in inspiring that person to give their all. I am so thankful to The Center For Education Solutions for being such a catalyst for my realizing my potential. Thank you for believing in me, when so many wouldn't. Thank you for acknowledging that it is never too late to be all that you can be. And I am still unfolding.

And just think, I could have died being a poor imitation of June Cleaver, thinking that was all there was to me.
Thank you!
Rhea Murray

PS I have enclosed a recent picture of me and my son. For his courage to live his truth inspired me to live mine."
- Rhea Murray, 1996 Scholarship Recipient

To date, almost 500 books and a dozen sets of curriculum materials have been placed in schools from San Francisco to an Arizona reservation.

We're especially proud of our Navajo Nation Library Project at the Cameron Elementary School in Arizona. The Center collected books and funds to help create a library for some of America's most overlooked children.

Success is contagious - which is why you should become part of The Center. You can participate as a donor, a volunteer, in many different ways. Please tell us how you'd like to help.