Mission Moments—College Now Scholarships are Dream Fuel
A scholarship is more than a check—it’s a representation of the belief people hold in the future of education. It’s the ignition that turns ambition into lift-off. This rang true at College Now’s Mission Moment on Jan.22, where we heard the impactful stories from College Now scholarship recipients and staff and were reminded of the power of education. The panel included:
Bob Durham, chief success officer at College Now, has been with College Now for 17 years. In his role as flight director, Bob has witnessed the launches of thousands of students pursuing their higher education dreams. His insights are grounded in experience, making each student’s launch stronger than the last.
Cashalynn Bolden-Johnson joined us from the Cleveland Clinic, where she serves as a recruiter. A proud graduate from Glenville High School and Cleveland State University, Cashalynn navigated the additional responsibilities of being a college student and a young mother with the help of a dedicated mentor and what she calls an “answered prayer”— her College Now scholarship. With a bachelor’s degree in health sciences and a minor in Biology, she has since become a well-respected educator through the Cleveland Clinic’s learning programs. Cashalynn is living proof of how far a College Now scholarship can propel a student — from education to educating others.
Kristen Filipiak works as a data science manager at Sherwin Williams and is a proud College Now scholarship recipient. As a graduate of Elyria High School, her journey is one of historic persistence, as she was the first person from her family in 110 years to graduate high school! At her time in undergrad at Baldwin Wallace, Kristen learned the critical role mentorship plays before, during and after college and has come full-circle by serving as a College Now mentor herself. She believes that the first-generation experience doesn’t end with a degree—it remains a permanent part of your heart and a lifelong mission to help others navigate their own path forward.
Brittany Williams is the founder and principal of The Domenica Advisory Group and an alumna of Bedford High School and Case Western Reserve University. Driven by a desire for the stability she saw her parents strive for, Brittany viewed college as her launch pad—a path made possible solely through scholarships. Having navigated the pressures and social barriers that first-generation students often face, she is now a vocal supporter of the scholarships that cleared her trajectory.
Our panelists highlighted that for many first-generation students, the journey to a degree is accompanied with complex flight path with a mix of emotions and uncertainty. Kristen recalls that while her college acceptance letter brought immense pride to her family, it was also met with discouragement because they simply didn’t know how they would fund her mission. For Kristen, the dream didn’t become a real possibility the day she was accepted to school—it became real the moment she received her College Now scholarship. Brittany echoed this need for stability, advising current students who feel overwhelmed by the complexities of the process to “take things one at a time. Write it down and see what you can tackle first.”
That steady, step-by-step approach eventually leads to the kind of generational impact that Cashalynn underscored when she stopped to thank the supporters in the room. “We represent the thousands of students you support,” she noted. “Everything you have done has brought us this far and the generations behind us.” This impact doesn’t end at graduation; Kristen closed by highlighting how essential mentorship remains even in the professional world. Her journey from not knowing what was out there to where she is today as a leader was built on the belief that with confidence and curiosity, you can always move forward.
At College Now, this is our daily mission: because no one reaches success alone. Each journey needs a launch team, a flight plan and steady guidance along the way. College Now serves as mission control for our scholarship recipients— starting in high school, we provide the navigation, fuel and support students need not just to lift off, but to stay on course through every stage of their mission. By removing barriers and offering consistent mentorship, we aren’t just helping students earn degrees—we’re helping them change their trajectory, their legacy and the future for generations to come.