Susanne graduated from Governor Thomas Johnson High School in 2007 with plans to take a class or two at Frederick Community College. She said that receiving a scholarship from The Community Foundation’s Routzahn Business Scholarship Fund provided just enough support to make it possible for her to afford to enroll as a full-time student.
“People say it doesn’t add up to much, but it was enough to make it possible for me to go to school full-time,” Susanne said.
After Frederick Community College, Susanne began working full time and attending University of Maryland University College (now Global Campus) at night, earning a bachelor’s degree in 2011 and a master’s degree in emergency management in 2015. She now works for a federal government agency doing medical research contracting.
“I enjoy what I do,” Susanne said. “I like knowing that this medical research contracting is ultimately helping people with health problems by curing disease or making life better in some way.”
Susanne recently made a donation to the Community Foundation in the amount of the scholarship she received, saying that the scholarship gave her the financial support necessary, and the motivation, to attend school full time, thus helping her end up where she is today. She said she feels it is important to pay it forward so that other students can realize their educational dreams.
“That scholarship relieved a lot of stress for me, that was the springboard I needed to become who I am today.”