“TCC fits into my schedule and is helping me build the life I always saw for myself”

Single mom Teosha Taylor is determined to make a difference.

Taylor, 34, is studying Human Services at Tidewater Community College. After graduating next spring, she hopes to establish a charity to help teen moms, runaways and youth who have been neglected and abused.

Taylor is passionate about being the light for youth who are the most vulnerable.

“This hits close to home for me,” she said. “I’ve been in a home where there’s abuse and some of my friends were runaways because of abuse. I saw first-hand the damage that can be done, so now I want to be part of the solution.”

She added, “I know how it is to be in certain situations, but I also know that those situations don’t have to define you.”

Taylor received two scholarships this fall, the Mary Ferrell Flickinger scholarship for $1,500 and the Barnes and Noble Textbook scholarship for $600.

“What a gift! Getting help with tuition, fees and books was tremendous!” she said. “It’s helped me keep pushing, to make it to the finish line next May.”

The mother of three concedes that balancing home life and school can be challenging.

“The best part of TCC for me is the supportive faculty, the open access to programs, and the online classes,” she said.

Taylor’s favorite professor is Melvilyn Scott because she takes the time to make sure students understand the concepts and she responds to every request for help.

Taylor is already using what she is learning at her current job as a patient care specialist at Sentara Health Systems.

“I love everything about the program, even the paper writing,” she said.

“TCC fits into my schedule and is helping me build the life I always saw for myself. What could be better than that?”

Spring scholarships are available now and most TCC students qualify for scholarships. Browse the list of opportunities at tcc.edu/scholarships to find your fit.