This op-ed originally appeared in the Palm Beach Post on January 18, 2024
By: Dodlee Mosilme
Sitting in the classroom during my junior year of high school, the dream of attending college seemed to be fading away. I had applied myself throughout high school with the goal of becoming the first in my family to attend college. However, regardless of my high grades and consistent effort, I was discovering the daunting cost of higher education and was fully aware my family couldn’t afford it.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the average college and tuition fees at ranked colleges for the 2023-2024 academic year are: $42,162 for private schools; $23,630 for public schools as an out-of-state student; and $10,662 for public schools as an in-state student.
It’s disheartening that so many high-potential students right here in our community are overwhelmed by the costs and without options to pay them, as I thought I was. The cost of college has become a considerable roadblock to achieving our dreams and supporting our families. For me personally, the roadblock was too heavy to lift and too oversized for my family and I to go around.
That was until I discovered the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties during my senior year of high school. The Community Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that creates partnerships with donors, nonprofits and community members to solve the region’s chronic and emerging issues. Since 1985, the Community Foundation has offered both need- and merit-based scholarships, aiming to increase access to higher education and decrease the burden of debt for our area’s aspiring college students. The Community Foundation currently hosts nearly 130 scholarship funds, each set up by donors. Students residing in Palm Beach and Martin Counties are eligible and can apply for scholarships via the Community Foundation’s general scholarship application.
In the fall of 2021, I became one of those students. Following the application process, and the notification that I was awarded a scholarship from the nonprofit, my dream of attending college became a reality. I enrolled in Florida Atlantic University in the Fall of 2021, where I am studying today with a major in Biology / Pre-Health.
The Community Foundation has provided me with the resources to pursue my passion of becoming a doctor while unlocking doors to opportunities that seemed elusive before. I am able to focus on academics and extracurriculars without the constant worry of paying for tuition. Thanks to the scholarship, I haven’t had to juggle second or third jobs to cover expenses. I have been able to excel academically, give back to my community through volunteering, and make the most of my college experience.
As a first generation college student this is especially important. According to the Education Advisory Board (EAB), 33% of first-generation students leave college within three years of starting. While there are many contributing factors, the main reasons are financial burdens, lack of support, and inequitable access to resources.
The Community Foundation is truly a guiding light. Not just for me but for countless students facing financial barriers to education. It’s more than a scholarship; it’s a community, a support system, and a testament to the belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams. My college journey has been shaped and uplifted by the generosity of the Community Foundation and I wholeheartedly recommend it to others seeking a transformative and supportive path to higher education.
To those with dreams of attending college, my message is simple: Don’t let the cost of college extinguish your dreams. Make the time to apply for scholarships. The time spent now on scholarship applications may seem daunting, but the dividends it pays in the long run are immeasurable. Your future college self will undoubtedly thank you for it. I know mine is!
And to those with the means to donate or give back, please consider the Community Foundation and its scholarship program. In its 50-year history, the Community Foundation has distributed nearly $17 million in scholarships and funded over 2,700 awards. Despite those impressive numbers, there are still many high-potential students being left behind. The gap between need and what is available is still too large.
The 2024 Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties scholarship application program is now open to those planning on enrolling in college in the summer and fall of 2024. The application closes February 7, 2024. For more information and to apply, visit https://yourcommunityfoundation.org/scholarships-process/.
Dodlee Mosilme is a third year student at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, expecting to graduate in 2025. He is from Lake Worth Beach.
