Porsha Hutchins

2004 Bridge Foundation Scholarship Recipient

It is now my senior year of college and I can’t thank you all enough for everything you’ve done to help me get to this point. Without your generous consideration I would not have been able to get to where I am today. I remember receiving my acceptance letter my senior year of high school. I was so excited and worried all at the same time, wondering frantically how I was going to make it through college on my own without any financial backing. But thanks to the Bridge Scholarship I didn’t have to. You all offered me a sense of support and freedom that I had never known before, and I can’t thank you enough for that. You’ve given me an opportunity to do something great with my life, and I plan to do just that. I’m excited and proud to say that I’ll be graduating from UNC Charlotte this may with a degree in Psychology, a minor in Social Work, and a minor in Religious Studies. After this I plan to attend graduate school to pursue my PhD in Clinical Psychology. I want to make a difference in this world and you all have allowed me to do that. I hope that I can continue to make you all proud and show my appreciation as the first recipient of the Bridge Scholarship.

I’ve gained so much from the college experience regarding my personal growth as a student. I’ve learned a lot about who I really am and who it is I want to become. The responsibility and independence that the college lifestyle requires causes you to develop a great deal of character and a strong sense of accomplishment. I feel like I’m more secure in who I am, now that I’m aware of what I can accomplish as well as what my limits are. I’ve found that determination alone can get you as far you want to go, regardless of preconceived notions. I’ve also learned a lot about other people. In college you’re thrown into a diverse world in which you interact with a number of different personalities and cultures. It really allowed me to broaden my personal views and gain a greater understanding and appreciation for people as a whole. Overall I think the most important lesson I’ve learned in college is to respect and appreciate every aspect of my life, because I had to work hard for it and I’m so blessed to be where I am.