Scholarship bridges the gap for student, mother
Kierra Greer is building a bright future for herself and her young son.
“Being that I’m a first-generation student, I want him to follow in my footsteps and know that if Mommy can do it, so can he,” she said.
After graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in psychology in Fall 2022, she is continuing her education this spring while pursuing a master’s degree in counseling and rehabilitation. She plans to become a licensed therapist.
“My passion to help others and see them become the best version of themselves is what sparked my interest in psychology,” she said. “Also, with the heavy burden of mental health issues, I want to be part of effective solutions for the youth.”
Greer didn’t have many options when planning for college, but SIU opened the door for her.
“I chose SIU because SIU chose me,” she said. “When all other schools wouldn’t give me a chance, SIU did, and I have been a 3.8-GPA star student ever since.”
Through scholarships, SIU was also able to make Greer’s life a little bit easier when facing a financial crunch. She received the Fred W. Samson Scholarship, which paid the final $4,800 of her balance.
“This scholarship has allowed me to start the next phase of my educational journey,” she said. “It has also allowed me to remove the stress of financial burdens and focus on my academics even more.”
Such incredible support has also inspired her to think about how she can help future generations of Salukis.
“I would like to create a scholarship for single mothers like me who are going to school and succeeding while overcoming obstacles,” she said. “Students are the future, and many of us want to be positive change for the future. Sometimes all we need is a helping hand to make it through. Donor support can change someone’s life forever.”
Greer encourages every prospective student to give SIU strong consideration.
“SIU is here to support you along the way,” she said. “Whatever your goals are there is a group of people at SIU waiting to help you accomplish them.”