Jasmine Johnson, a senior public relations major from Moore, Oklahoma, was determined to attend The University of Alabama to be a member of the Million Dollar Band Color Guard. However, she soon found herself facing the financial stressors of funding college.
“I originally came to UA on no scholarships, so I started working a full-time job on top of my school work and my extracurricular activities,” Jasmine said. “My sophomore year, I became a resident advisor to offset the cost of housing.”
Jasmine, who still works two jobs to fund her education, said she often found herself thinking of the debt she had accrued to pay for school and how it would ultimately affect her future.
“At first, I felt like my student loans were going to put a limitation on where I could accept jobs because I had to think about how I would repay them,” she said, “Additionally, having a job on top of being a full-time student has been very difficult. But, at the same time, it’s developed my character, which I’m really thankful for.”
Jasmine is also thankful for the Bob and Marie Robinson Scholarship, which she received through the College of Communication and Information Sciences and which helped alleviate some of her financial concerns.
“The scholarship I received was $3,500, which covered the cost of what I would pay for one class’s tuition, fees and books,” Jasmine said. “Because of the scholarship, I was able to add an additional class to my semester, which will help me graduate early, so I’m extremely grateful. The scholarship is putting me ahead, and it’s helped me do things that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. It’s a joy seeing your hard work pay off.”
As Jasmine prepares to graduate in August 2022 and attend graduate school for higher education administration, the Robinsons’ gift has inspired her in other ways. After meeting her scholarship’s donor, Marie Robinson, Jasmine said she hopes to forge a career that will allow her to give back as well.
“I really love working with college students,” Jasmine said. “I think my time in college has been so fruitful and rewarding. Giving back is going to be really important to the success of future students and the people I encounter in my career.”
Jasmine described her meeting with Marie as a “really special moment,” where Marie shared her own experiences as a young student and careerwoman working as an executive vice president at Sysco and former senior vice president at Michael Kors.
“Not only did the Robinsons’ scholarship benefit me, but they’ve helped me think of ways to be more generous as I go into my young adulthood and my career,” she said. “That’s what The Rising Tide is all about. I want other donors to know that no matter how big or small their gift, it makes an impact on students’ lives.”