When I think back to my senior year of high school, I think if I knew where I would be now, I would’ve lost my mind, but in the best way possible. In the months and days leading up to my senior year, I knew I wanted to go to college, but I had no idea how I was going to afford it. I knew college was more attainable than before, but as a first-generation college student it still felt just out of reach. That was all before The Rudd Foundation changed my life.

Hi, my name is Nataleigh Holguin! I am originally from Topeka, Kansas, but grew up in a small town named Meriden, which is just north of our capital city. I am a sophomore at Wichita State studying Business Marketing with a minor in Graphic Design. I currently work in the Office of Admissions as a lead for the Student Engagement Team, as well as a Shocker Navigator (an official tour guide) for WSU.

I still catch myself thinking back to the day I received the scholarship. Rudd is unlike any other scholarship that I am aware of. They don’t just mail you a letter or send you an email, they SURPRISE YOU. They show up to your school, work, and home, sometimes even IHOP! I was actually about an hour away on a school trip, so I was stunned when I saw Corri (our fearless leader aka Director) walk out with that unbelievably big check with my name on it. I immediately burst into tears. I kept hugging everyone, Danielle (Alumni and Scholar support) and Alma (Outreach and Scholar support) and crying all over again. Then I got to relive it when we finally got back to my high school. I got to walk to all of my teachers’ classrooms and share the good news. Many tears were shed that day, but most importantly I was finally able to breathe. The burden of trying to figure things out financially was lifted from my shoulders completely.

The beautiful thing about The Rudd Foundation is its transparency. It is not a difficult process to apply, you simply must be a high school senior who plans to graduate in the spring, take the ACT, have a 3.0 unweighted cumulative GPA, and demonstrate financial need by being Pell-eligible. You write two essays and fill out information on how you are involved in your school and your community. You will need to get a letter of recommendation from a mentor. If you move on in the process, you will be asked to come to The Rudd Foundation, 2416 E 37th St. N, in Wichita for an interview. Then you just wait until they surprise you!

Since I have been a Rudd Scholar, the team has added two new members, Takita and Mallie, and a brand-new cohort has started school! The Rudd Scholarship not only aided me financially, but they support me academically and socially. Rudd goes “Beyond the Dollar” and provides support all throughout college and even after with our new alumni program! We’re more like a family than just a scholarship program. We have a spring and fall summit where we gain professional experience but also get to engage with scholars from other universities, we regularly participate in service events, and we even have casual group hangs. My Rudd family keeps me going, they push me to become the best version of myself and support me every step of the way. I am eternally grateful for Rudd; I am not only set up to graduate debt-free but also to have a head start when I begin my career.

If you are a student or know a student who is eligible for the scholarship, please apply! It is absolutely worth your time. This is the opportunity of a lifetime! You can follow Rudd on social media to stay in the know and if you ever have questions, you can absolutely reach out!