Giving Community

First-generation student Jess Maillet decided to change her life when she had her first baby. She said that motivated her to break the cycle of poverty, and ultimately led her to pursue her educational goals at Kennesaw State University. Maillet explained that while going to college is a dream come true, it has not been an easy journey.   

“When I first started at KSU, I did not own a computer, so the needs are many,” Maillet said. “Scholarships have been encouraged and made things like affording childcare or buying supplies possible, which really lifted the financial burden of school.”   

Maillet is a recipient of the Osher Reentry Scholarship and the President’s Parliament Scholars Ambassador Award. She said that receiving the PPSA scholarship was especially impactful because she had previously applied and was not chosen. In a case of what she describes as “cosmic synchronicity,” Maillet learned that the second time was the charm when she was on the way to get ice cream with her family.   

“We were already going to celebrate, so I thought it was a cool… lesson, encouragement in my own life that if you don’t get something at first, don’t give up,” Maillet said.   
She said the support of scholarships helped give her a reason to keep pursuing her education on hard days. Maillet sees a world of possibilities when she looks to the future. Whether she becomes an art therapist, a counselor, a social worker, or any other career that calls to her, she hopes to help other people.  

Madie Houser loves books, ancient history, and helping others. One of her favorite courses during the Spring 2025 semester was called “Twilight of Antiquity,” which focused on ancient Rome. Her minor is in Classical Studies, and she is part of the Honors Ancient and Modern Classics Cohort.  

It comes as no surprise that Houser dreams of being a librarian. As one of four siblings, she realized that achieving that dream would require some creative financial thinking.  

“They all are also going through college or about to go through college, so I knew that I would need as much support as possible, and I knew that scholarships would be a great opportunity for that” Houser said.  

Houser is a recipient of the Gerd Romer Memorial Endowed Scholarship and the Lindy Radow Humanities and Social Sciences Honors Scholarship. Houser said those awards have helped her toward her goals by allowing her to spend more time in the library itself.  Additionally, they have helped her finance study abroad trips through KSU – opportunities that she might not have experienced otherwise.   

“The first time I received the scholarship, it was the night before I left for Italy, and I was so stressed about being able to finance myself through college the next semester that I was freaking out,” Houser said. “Then I received an email saying that I had received a scholarship, and just, all of the relief flashed over me.”   

She would like to thank her scholarship donors for their life-changing gifts and encourages other students to apply. Houser hopes to pursue a master's degree in library and information science once she turns the tassel on her undergraduate education.