Pictured, from top left to bottom right: Emily, Andrien, Latasha, Cody, Hanna and Marissa.
When Latasha faced a choice between paying her own college tuition and her son’s, she put her son first. The business student thought she might have to give up on her education that semester—until she learned she had received the First Generation Matching Grant Scholarship.
“He was so very happy that I would be able to pay for my classes as well,” she wrote. “Thank you so much for all you have done for my family.”
Her experience illustrates how a scholarship can reach beyond one student. For first-generation students at Pensacola State College, donor support helps open a path toward new careers, greater stability and possibilities their families can share.
A first for one student. A milestone for a family.
Approximately 40% of PSC students are first-generation college students, meaning their parents have not earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Many navigate unfamiliar college systems while balancing work, family responsibilities and academic expectations.
For Andrien, a business student, earning a degree represents an accomplishment for his entire family. He hopes the skills he is learning will inspire his siblings and parents and help him pursue opportunities in Northwest Florida.
“Being the first in my family to earn a degree feels like a monumental accomplishment,” he wrote.
Marissa, also studying business, described a similar determination. Neither her parents nor her grandparents attended college, and she wants her children to see what is possible.
“I hope to break the cycle and prove I can succeed,” she wrote. “With this scholarship, I’m one step closer to my goal of graduating college.”
Support that makes room for the future
For Emily, a nursing student and the first person in her family to pursue a college degree, the scholarship supports a future built around caring for others.
“This scholarship is helping me continue my education and secure a stable career path helping others,” she wrote.
Hanna, studying psychology, hopes to become a mental health counselor and an advocate for therapy. In her testimonial, she explained that attending college full time limits the hours she can work. Scholarship support reduces that financial pressure and allows her to focus on her studies.
“I hope to repay the same kindness to people I encounter in the future career that you have supported,” she wrote.
Cody, a computer programming student, described wanting to create a more secure future for his wife and help support his parents. Having experienced financial hardship growing up, he sees his education as a way to build lasting stability for his family.
Together, these students’ stories show what scholarship support can make possible: continuing classes, pursuing a career and setting an example for the next generation.
Make three times the impact
Through the First Generation Matching Grant Scholarship, the State of Florida matches every $1 in eligible private donations with $2 in state funding. By raising $34,396, the Pensacola State College Foundation can secure an additional $68,792, providing $103,188 in scholarship support for PSC students. That total could fund as many as 986 credit hours.
Since 2007, the scholarship has supported thousands of first-generation students across Florida by combining state funding with private generosity. At PSC, that partnership offers students both financial assistance and the reassurance that their community believes in their future.
Help a first-generation student take the next step. Give online to the First Generation Matching Grant Scholarship, or mail a check payable to the “Pensacola State College Foundation.”
Pensacola State College Foundation
1000 College Blvd., Building 17
Pensacola, FL 32504
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