Scholarship Recipients Speak Out – July 2025
July 21, 2025 | Posted in: Scholarships | Schools | Student Resources | Testimonials
PGSF is honored to have positively impacted the lives of thousands of students over the years through scholarship funds. In this blog series, we highlight feedback from our current and past recipients, showcasing the impact of our financial and organizational support on their educational journey and how it affects their lives.
“This past semester has been filled with a lot of financial and family struggles, so receiving this scholarship helped drastically.”
Anna Staup, Ferris State University
“Since receiving the Norman and Gertrude Jacobson Memorial PGSF scholarship, I had the opportunity to go to SkillsUSA’s National Leadership and Skills Conference and compete in graphic communications. I was able to experience a new area of technology for graphic communications, in the offset printing industry. I had been accustomed to digital printing, so this was a great opportunity. I was able to receive fourth place in the national competition. I look to continuously improve and assist others along the way, and so I have worked to establish a SkillsUSA chapter at East Tennessee State University. I am pleased to report that this chapter has now been officially accepted and approved by both the national SkillsUSA organization and East Tennessee State University. During studies at my university, I have worked with and improved on various programs, such as Adobe Illustrator and other Creative Cloud products. I have also had the ability to learn and adapt to new programs, such as Maya. This will assist me in understanding various employment positions in the graphic communications, graphic design, and digital media industry, allowing me to fulfill a leadership role, and follow in the footsteps of the many significant graphic communications leaders, such as Norman and Gertrude Jacobson. I greatly appreciate these opportunities, and I look forward to further updates that I will be able to disclose, not just of myself, but of the great events our university’s new SkillsUSA chapter will be able to accomplish.”
Abigail Amyx, East Tennessee State University
“I think I’ve advanced quite a bit this year in my base-level knowledge and technical abilities, and I’m grateful that this scholarship has allowed me to stay and continue advancing those abilities.
Your support is amazing, and I really would have to leave school if I didn’t have this scholarship, so thank you so much.”
Amber Dobbins, Central Piedmont Community College
“Thanks to this scholarship, I have created clay projects, videos, posters advertisements, and so much more. The resources that the school and the city of Chicago offer are extraordinary and I am so happy to be able to be a part of it. I have also made tons of friends and am adjusting well living 8 hours away from home. Again, I would like to thank you for your kindness in giving me this opportunity. I cannot wait for the years to come! ”
Mia Burnett, School of the Art Institute
