Courtney Taylor '19
"SEMO welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like I'd come home. The University has the ability to take people from all walks of life, from all around the world, and make them feel like they're meant to be here," says Courtney Taylor, a junior at Southeast Missouri State University.
When Courtney, an education major from St. Louis, Missouri, decided to come to Southeast, she knew she had found her home. Financing her education has not been easy, but due in part to generous support from Southeast alumni, she will graduate in 2019.
"I always knew that I wanted to become a social studies teacher," Courtney shares. "It was something I'd known since middle school. I had incredible teachers, so it felt right to try to be the same way for another generation of students."
Courtney's dream of becoming a social studies teacher may not have been possible if it hadn't been for those loyal to Southeast students and dedicated to the Foundation's mission.
"I am attending Southeast with scholarships, loans, and money I earned while working," Courtney explains. Like so many students at Southeast, I am the one responsible for paying for my own tuition. Scholarship support allows me to spend more time working to become the best future educator that I can be."
Support from Southeast donors alleviates the financial stress of college for Courtney and many other students. She explains, "Financial aid allows students to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that a burden has been taken off our shoulders so we can focus more on a classwork and less on the next billing statement."
The relief from the financial stress of earning a college education is possible because of the generosity of Southeast alumni who are leaving their legacy through an endowed scholarship established to support future teachers, a gesture Courtney is eternally grateful for.
Courtney hopes to continue the legacy of generosity and impact the lives of Southeast students in the future, like many loyal donors who have come before her. She believes that supporting Southeast goes beyond repaying what Southeast gave to her. Rather, giving is an opportunity to pay it forward and to be involved in the transformation of lives for future Southeast students.
Leave Your Southeast Legacy
You can impact the lives of future Southeast students like Courtney by including the University in your long-term estate or financial plans. Contact Southeast Missouri University Foundation at plannedgiving@semo.edu or 573-651-2332 today to learn about your giving options.