The Community Foundation for Crawford County is pleased to introduce Alyssa Kirby, a 2023 recipient of one of the 19 Doug and Renee Leuthold Scholarship awards.
Alyssa, the daughter of Jason Kirby and Misti Kirby, is a 2018 graduate of Crestline High School. She is studying Esthetics at the Elite School of Cosmetology.
What is your favorite aspect of college life?
“My favorite aspect of college would have to be meeting new people. I appreciate meeting new people with the same interests as me. I enjoy finding out how others got to be on the same path as me and hear their stories. I believe we can learn a lot from others and it helps shape us into who we are.”
What new interest or courses of study have you discovered at college?
“I haven’t had the opportunity to find any new courses of study while at college, but within school overall I found I really enjoy science. Whether it be anatomy, environment science, or forensic science, I really found all of it interesting and exciting.”
In what ways has the college experience changed/improved you?
“I would say the college experience has changed me by making me more confident in myself. Before my first year of college, I was nervous about being in a room full of strangers, just like everyone is, but I slowly learned that is normal. The first day jitters, the nerves, and the excitement about the future are completely normal. College helped me learn to really just take one day at a time and not to worry so much about what’s going to happen later, because I know my experiences today or tomorrow will prepare me for the future. You don’t need an in-depth plan for everything.”
What advice would you give an incoming college freshman?
“My biggest advice for an incoming freshman is something they’re going to have heard a billion times, but it really is to just be yourself. Everyone is there for the same thing you are: to learn and grow as an individual. Don’t be afraid to reach out to those around you and make new friends. Odds are, they’re just as nervous as you are. That was one of the biggest things that helped me branch out within my first year.”
What is one item on your bucket list?
“One item on my bucket list would have to be to go bungee jumping. I’m someone who really enjoys the thrills life can bring, so to speak. I was given the opportunity to experience skydiving with my dad. Although it was over 3 years ago now, it still, and will continue to, remain as one of my most cherished memories. Skydiving was something I knew I may never do again, but the experience of seeing him in an airplane for the very first time, experiencing the heights of just being in an airplane, to then see him slowly understand just how high 2 miles in the air, or 10,000 feet, really is, to finally grasp that we really are jumping out of the plane instead of landing in it was nothing short of amazing. The first hug after landing was filled with nothing but love and excitement for how amazing the opportunity really was. That’s why bungee jumping is the next item on my bucket list. I hope someday I’m able to leap from new heights, literally, with my dad by my side once again, just with a twist.”
Congratulations and good luck in the future, Alyssa!
To learn more about the scholarships offered through the Foundation, visit www.cfcrawford.org/scholarships.
