The Community Foundation for Crawford County is pleased to introduce Sarah Rasnake, a 2024 recipient of one of the six Arlene H. Smith Scholarship awards, the Dorothy Sherer Flohr Scholarship award, one of the 19 Doug and Renee Leuthold Scholarship awards, and one of the two Dr. Joseph and Susan Shadeed Scholarship awards.
Sarah, the daughter of Dennis Metzger and Karen Sisson, is a 1996 graduate of Wynford High School. She is in her second year of an Associate's Degree in Registered Nursing at North Central State College.
What is your favorite aspect of college life and why?
"I appreciate the versatility that college has to offer. I work full-time and also have a family that needs me. I am able to, for the most part, schedule my classes around my life outside of school. And, for the parts of school that are not flexible, I know that it is only for four months and it will change again. Then I am able to make my schedule accommodate the work schedule and kids' schedules."
What new interests or courses of study have you discovered at college?
"I have discovered that I enjoy encouraging others that are going through this experience with me. There is something satisfying about lifting others up and making them feel better about themselves. There have been multiple break-downs and feelings that we are not able to go on. It is stressful to have test after test and not do quite as well as you thought you would. But, to have someone that knows what you are going through, encouraging you and telling you that you can do it, sometimes that makes it feel just a little bit easier- until the next meltdown. If I can encourage one student enough to get through the day, then I will consider it a win!"
In what ways has the college experience changed/improved you?
"This college experience has helped me become a better cheerleader. Not only a better cheerleader for my classmates, but a better cheerleader for my children. It was a long time ago that I was in school. I tend to forget that it is stressful to go to school, take tests, deal with classmates, and balance family life for school age kids. They need to know that Mom knows how hard it is for them and how the feelings of failure are so close to the surface. I am making an effort to encourage them and let them know that I will be there for them and be the best cheerleader there is for them!"
What advice would you give an incoming college freshman?
"I would tell all incoming freshman to realize that college is totally different than high school. The straight A's that you got in every subject are probably not going to happen when you get into your degree program. Sure, the prerequisites will continue to be easy for you. But, once you hit the specialized program classes, you will learn that average is a great thing. No one will ask if you got straight A's in order to obtain your degree, and it is a good thing that they don't. A pass is a pass. It is a humbling experience."
What is one item on your bucket list and why?
"The biggest thing on my bucket list is to complete this journey of my Associate's Degree in Nursing. I think about how much I wish I would have started this when I was younger, when it would have been so much easier. But, I think that I can also be an example for people to show them that they are able to complete something so big, so exciting, no matter how old they are. This is one of the hardest things that I have ever done in my life, and I am halfway there!"
Congratulations and good luck in the future, Sarah!
To learn more about the scholarships offered through the Foundation, visit www.cfcrawford.org/scholarships
