written by | Ola Ambimbola

Fellow Minnesota State University Students,

I am honored and delighted to have the opportunity to serve you as I have done for the past 3 years in various roles, including Action Team Member to, Legislative Specialist, Campus Coordinator and subsequently in the position of board member this year. As a Students United Penny Scholarship recipient in 2017 and 2018, I can unequivocally say that this scholarship has been immensely beneficial to my academic journey.

I joined Students United as an action team member in September 2016 after having the opportunity to visit a campus committee tabling session at my campus, Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU). I was incredibly impressed with the Students United platform and the tireless work we have been doing on making college education more affordable for our fellow students. I was inspired by the fact that the Student United advocacy over the years has been instrumental in making in-state tuition available to out-state student like myself at my university. As a non-traditional student, in 2015, I decided to go back to college 11 years after my first attempt in the United Kingdom, which was relatively unsuccessful; the difference this time around being that I had to pay for my college costs. I was inspired by the incessant passion for advocacy that permeates the organization and decided to join the campus committee as a volunteer.

The Penny Scholarship has been extremely beneficial to me and other students in my financial situation. I really could not imagine how I would have been able to afford my tuition fees in those two years without the Penny Scholarship. I will like to advise Minnesota State university students to apply for the various scholarships available to them through Students United. Let us keep the advocacy flag flying. We are the noble knights of valor; the jewels of inestimable value and the future of Minnesota State. Students! United!

Ola Abimbola

Students United Director, SMSU