12.1.23

Scholarship helps remove barriers for returning adult student

When Karen Alfero moved to the United States from Guatemala in 2011, she knew she wanted to continue her education. She had been studying legal and social sciences at the Universidad Mariano Galvez, but found a number of barriers to higher education in the US, from language and culture to economic resources. Now, twelve years later, Karen is preparing to graduate from Wichita State with an accounting major in the spring, and she counts her scholarship support as one of the blessings that helped her get here.

“When I decided to go back to school, many people told me that it was going to be a waste of time and money, or that my English skills were not good enough for this level of education,” she said. “But I had a big desire to reach my dream. I want to teach my kids the importance of having discipline and persistence to reach their goals.”

Karen’s journey toward her degree began with learning English as a second language at Orion Education and NexStep Alliance, which provides adult education courses through a partnership between Goodwill Industries and WSU Tech. She then enrolled at WSU Tech and earned her associate degree in business administration. But she didn’t stop there. Karen knew she wanted to achieve a bachelor’s degree and applied to Wichita State because of the affordability and flexibility of online learning.

 “I am at Wichita State because I didn’t pay attention to the negative voices around me, and scholarships opened the door for me,” said Karen. “I saw the opportunity and decided to challenge myself, and my experience at WSU has been amazing.”

Karen is the recipient of the Trisha and Douglas Grosch Endowed Scholarship in Accounting, which was established in 1999 to provide support for students with financial need. 

 “This support has had a significant impact on my life; without that help, I would not be here,” Karen emphasized. “Many talented students struggle with economic situations. Scholarships bring them a learning opportunity that have an impact not just on the student’s life but on their families and our society.”

After graduating, Karen plans to begin her career as an accountant and she looks forward to finding ways to give back to her community and support people facing the same challenges she did.