To gear up for back to school sixty-six local scholarship recipients gathered at Camp McCumber for the McConnell Foundation Scholars Summer Conference. The annual conference is part of the support that McConnell Scholars receive. In addition, students receive up to $30,000 for their education, which includes mentoring from Senior Scholarship Program Officer Dave Tanner throughout their college career.
The theme of the conference is “McConnell Family Camp.” Like a family, the Scholars look out for each other. Older Scholars run the camp and lead the workshops, and encourage the younger Scholars to participate and contribute. The conference gives all Scholars an opportunity to share their experience and wisdom with each other so they can prepare to be successful in the next stage of their journey.
This year, the Scholars chose and led workshops on topics such as good study habits, graduate school and how to prepare for the GRE, personal finance, jumpstarting careers, internships and research, how to fail and keep going, having healthy relationships, studying abroad, healthy eating, how to make friends at college, public speaking, religion in college, and life after college. Not all of the sessions were serious; one Scholar gave a fascinating talk about his beekeeping hobby. Another group discussed their favorite books and went on to form The McConnell Scholars Book Club.
Two of the current Scholars and one of the alumni missed camp because they were helping fight the Carr Fire, and one student left early to help his family evacuate from the Hat Fire. In spite of the stress, the Scholars who attended maintained great morale and finished the weekend ready to take on the new academic year.
“Having the McConnell family as a resource and support system is one of the best things that ever happened to me.” – Elena Ludwig, 2017 McConnell Scholar, Shasta College
“I am deeply grateful to be a member of such a wonderful group of people and to know so many people who have powered through such difficult situations while maintaining their human kindness.” – Sam Dorsey, 2015 McConnell Scholar, Humboldt State University
For more information about The McConnell Scholars Program, please contact Dave Tanner at dtanner@mcconnellfoundation.org or (530) 226-6233 or visit www.mcconnellfoundation.org.
