Sherri M.

Bachelor of Science in Business/Management

Mission Viejo, CA

Scholarship: National Retail Federation Foundation’s Ray M. Greenly Scholarship

Why do you want to become a Phoenix? What does being a Phoenix mean to you?

Being a Phoenix is about pursuing something better for yourself. The class schedule helped me to decide to attend the University. While going to school, I still want to pursue my career in the retail industry. At a traditional school, it was difficult to attend class and still work 40 hours a week. The classes offered at night are more convenient for work. I don’t have to choose between work and school. I can do both.

How did you find the scholarship you received? What steps did you take?

I found the scholarship on the University of Phoenix Center for Scholarship Excellence site. I check the site frequently to see what scholarships are available. When I learned more about the scholarship, I knew I would be able to connect easily with the essay topic. For the recommendation letter, I knew the perfect person to ask — my mentor who inspired me to be where I am today.

What are your educational and professional goals? How will your scholarship help you accomplish those goals?

My educational goal is to finish my bachelor’s degree at the beginning of 2014 and start a master’s in business that same year. Ultimately, I want to obtain a master’s degree. This has always been my dream.

For my professional goal, I want to be a CEO or vice president within the retail industry. This scholarship, provided by the National Retail Federation, will help me accomplish this goal. Through the foundation, I can network and gain a deeper understanding of the corporate retail industry.  

What is your advice to other students who are looking for scholarships?

Never give up! I have applied for literally more than 100 scholarships. Life is about the positive outlooks. I have been blessed to receive many scholarships this year to help me continue my education and pursue my career.

How does participating in a Learning Team add to your skill set?

The Learning Team helps me understand the different ways people envision a project and collaborate on it. I’ve been blessed to have a great Learning Team. We come together on ideas to improve projects and essays.

Visit phoenix.edu/scholarships to learn more about scholarships.