Scholarship Conversations

University of Idaho sat down with Charlotte Hill and Jenna Gardiner to talk about scholarships, specifically The Charlotte Hill and Carol Lisek Science Excellence Endowment.

CharIotte Hill, ’76 B.S. in bacteriology and ’77 B.S. in chemistry

Q: Why did you decide to fund a University of Idaho student?

A: Paying it forward. When I was at the university, I received John Otness Family [Agricultural] Scholarship. It really helped me get through school. After graduating, I tried to give a little bit back every year, but then we decided to set up the endowment scholarship, and we did so using similar guidelines as the scholarship I received.

Q: What impact do you hope your scholarship will make?

A: I hope it’ll close a gap for students who might not otherwise be able to complete their studies at the university without such help. I think this really does make a difference in their lives.

Q: Why sponsor an endowment that focuses on the sciences?

A: Because I love science! I came from a family without any scientists, and yet, when I graduated from high school, I told my mom and dad I wanted to do science. They kind of looked at me funny because they were thinking that I should go to secretarial school. I said, “No, I want to be a veterinarian.” I went to the university with that in mind.

Q: What was the greatest lesson or skill you learned during your time at U of I?

A: One, I learned to persevere, and second, I learned to use my hands. The university offers more research opportunities than most other schools. I was able to do an undergraduate research project, and that really was special. Later, I learned that the reason you get your degree is so that you can prove to others that you’re capable of learning.

Jenna Gardiner, a Post Falls-native and junior majoring in medical sciences

Q: What did earning this scholarship mean for you?

A: All the scholarships I received allowed me to come to school and not have to stress about the financial side of college — on top of the schoolwork. Luckily, I’ve gotten quite a bit of scholarship money from U of I, which is something I really appreciate about the university. I actually have time to hang out with my friends. I do work study, but that’s nothing compared to what I probably would have had to do without the scholarships.

Q: What do you hope to do with your degree?

A: I’m not sure yet. Right now, I’m looking into speech and language pathology. I enjoy working with people. Speech therapy is a science-related field, but it is also a therapy so you’re helping people, which I appreciate.

Q: What made you go into the sciences?

A: I actually started off in business, and I realized it wasn’t for me. But my mom is a dietician, and I like what she does every day. I decided I wanted to do something science-y and thought the medical sciences would give me a lot of options in terms of a career.

Q: Is there something you’re studying right now that is piquing your interests?

A: Yeah. Last semester, I took developmental psychology and I loved that course. I liked it because most of the classes you take are about adults. Getting to learn more about young children was interesting to me, and the professor related it not just to psychology but also to how important your family is to your psychology. Then, I’m really liking my anatomy and physiology class, which really surprised me because I thought it’d just be really hard. And it is hard, but it’s really interesting to learn what’s going on in your body.

Article by Leigh Cooper, University Communications and Marketing.

Photos provided by Charlotte Hill and Jenna Gardiner.