Meet The Inspiring Students Who Each Received a $5K Scholarship (And Learn How You Can, Too!) community, campus, volunteer, scholarship, CVS

Celebrate the recipients of the CVS "Make Your Mark" Scholarship, and learn how they've made a difference in their communities!

(And learn how you can, too!)

Meet the inspiring students who were each awarded a $5K scholarship

The CVS Make Your Mark Scholarship Recipients

GETTING INVOLVED

Everyone has the power to make a difference. Check out the advice from our recipients and get inspo on different ways you can make your mark in your own community!

How should you make your mark?

I’m making my mark by…

Editor: Emily Murphy • Designer: Megan Charles This is a sponsored feature. All opinions are 100% our own. © Her Campus Media 2024

Joining a mentorship program

Want to make a mark in your own community, too? Get inspo by hitting the button below!

Planning a campus or community clean-up

Volunteering at a local food bank

Providing support at a homeless shelter

Offering after-school tutoring to children

Volunteering at an animal shelter

Volunteering at a nursing home

Volunteering with a crisis hotline

Organizing a fundraiser

Fostering pets

Planting a community or student garden

Collecting donations after a natural disaster

Organizing a voter registration drive

Promoting recycling initiatives on campus

Teaching others about sustainability

Organizing a beach or park clean-up

Picking up litter

Volunteering at the library

Advice from Zara: “Find an issue or policy you’re passionate about and discuss it with professors or peers who are on the same page to start a club, an organization, or a movement. It’ll make you feel powerful knowing you can positively impact the community.”

ZARA

Zara (She/Her)

Raising Awareness About DV

THIS IS WHAT SHE’S DOING TO RAISE AWARENESS +

“Being a Pakistani woman, domestic violence is so prevalent in our communities [which] motivated me to be an outlet of support for girls, be their voice, and most importantly, empower them with the necessary tools to leave.”

Zara makes a mark in her community by raising awareness of domestic and gender-based violence. As a Legislative Affairs and Intergovernmental intern at the mayor’s office in NYC, she evaluated best practices related to services for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and spearheaded research on policies related to female genital mutilation practices within New York State, offering policy improvements to limit and prevent this practice. Zara also volunteers at the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center (HERRC) to offer services and resources for domestic or gender-based violence to recently arrived migrants.

Zara, (She/Her)

Raising Awareness About DV

Michala (She/Her)

Reaching And Teaching Young Children

“I launched Project 4:13, an initiative designed to visit local schools — primarily attended by students of color — to read to them, ignite their enthusiasm for reading, and distribute books with Black representation, which were either donated or collected through our book drive.”

THIS IS WHY SHE STARTED THE PROGRAM +

Michala was inspired to be a mentor to young students of color when she learned that literacy was a problem in her community. After meeting 8-year-olds who couldn’t read yet, she realized she needed to do something about it or their futures would be impacted — so she founded Project 4:13. As a mentor and role model through Project 4:13, she shows these students that their future is limitless, and inspires them to break through barriers and pursue their dreams with confidence. Michala has been committed to fostering growth and creating opportunities for young people to succeed.

Michala, (She/Her)

Reaching And Teaching Young Children

Even though he’s now VP of the First-Generation Student Union at his university, finding a place on campus didn’t come so easily at first for Rodrigo — at first he felt a sense of isolation as a first-generation Latino student at a predominantly white institution. Because he knows how overwhelming that can be for other first-gen students, he focuses on expanding resources, advocating for students’ unique needs, and building a support network that fosters a sense of belonging for them. His main goal is to continue to ensure that every first-generation student feels empowered to not just survive, but to thrive.

Rodrigo, (He/Him)

Creating Spaces For First-Gen Students

Rodrigo (He/Him)

Creating Spaces For First-Gen Students

“[At college] I struggled with homesickness [and felt] like I couldn't find my place on campus. That changed when I connected with a group of first-generation Latino students who shared similar experiences, and the newfound sense of belonging inspired me to pay it forward and make sure other students wouldn't feel the same isolation I once did.”

THIS IS HOW HE STAYS MOTIVATED +

Athitiya (She/HER)

Advocating For Chronically Ill Adolescents

“My journey with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis has always been something that I kept to myself. I feared that in sharing my story, people would think I was seeking attention or only associate me with my disease. As I searched on and on for community support groups for youth battling autoimmune and/or chronic illnesses, I found nothing. So, I created one myself: Immuniteens!”

THIS IS HOW SHE’S REDEFINING BEAUTY +

In just one year, Athitiya’s online platform for adolescents with chronic and autoimmune conditions has reached over 200 people, creating a community and place of support for those looking to share their stories and connect with others just like them. In addition to being the Immuniteens founder, Athitiya has been working behind the scenes to ensure that all people, including those with nasogastric tubes or a mobility aid feel beautiful.

Athitiya, (She/Her)

Advocating For Chronically Ill Adolescents

Dejah’s love for photography started at age 15, and as the years went by, she realized that her passion was more than just a hobby. Photography was a way to build confidence, a way to connect with others, and she realized it could be her future job. To help others experience the same love and growth through photography, Dejah created “Shoot for a Change,” a space for young girls from low-income households to be empowered to try it out and form connections while learning creative skills like photography.

Dejah, She/Her

Empowering Young Girls Through Creativity

Dejah (She/Her)

Empowering Young Girls Through Creativity

“I founded "Shoot For A Change,” a program designed to empower young women by teaching them photography and entrepreneurship skills, but its true purpose went beyond technical instruction. I wanted to provide a space where these girls could explore their identities, build self-confidence, and envision a future where they could fully realize their potential.”

HERE’S HOW HER PASSION IS HELPING OTHERS +

Future Opportunities

Applications for this scholarship are closed, but hit the link below to stay up to date with future scholarship opportunities!

Michala’s next steps: “My goals are to join larger diversity and inclusion initiatives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I want to push my passion to the forefront and open up bigger avenues for young students while staying involved in their lives.”

Michala

Rodrigo’s motivation: “When motivation wanes, I remind myself of why I started and the people I'm helping. I think about the students like me who arrive on campus feeling lost, disconnected, and unsure of their place.”

Rodrigo

A message from Athitiya: “Beauty was never a state of feeling but a state of knowing and a state of being. You do not need to feel beautiful to know that you are beautiful! And if someone has not told you yet today, I think that you are beautiful!”

Athitiya

Words of wisdom from Dejah: “Remember, there are countless ways to give back, and it doesn’t always have to involve formal charity work. Sometimes, it’s as simple as being kind to others in everyday situations.”

Dejah

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