Leaving a Legacy Through Scholarships

For Schelequia Davis, supporting education as an ECTC scholarship donor is a meaningful way to give back and to promote her son’s legacy. She started two ECTC scholarships. The Timothy M. Sessoms Memorial Scholarship, named for her son, supports students pursuing a career in health or fitness. 

“My son passed away last June. I was really proud of the man he was becoming,” she said. “I wanted to do something to keep his caring and giving spirit going and I wanted to do it here, in the community he grew up in.”

Davis’ Walking with Purpose Scholarship, named after her event rental business, sets out to assist the unmet financial need of minority women. 

“I’m a minority female, and I know there are challenges we have to overcome,” Davis said. “I want the Walking with Purpose scholarship to help minority women to attain their educational goals and be who God created them to be.”

Davis said starting an ECTC scholarship fund was easy. Once she determined the scholarship amount and criteria, ECTC’s Office of Institutional Advancement walked her though a simple process. 

ECTC’s online giving option made it easy for friends and family near and far to join her in giving to her son’s memorial scholarship. 

In all, there are over 40 locally supported ECTC scholarship funds. Among them is the Equity Through Education Scholarship, awarded this year to Justin Puentes. 

A rising sophomore at ECTC, Puentes is well on his way to completing an Associate of Arts, with plans to transfer to the University of Louisville to follow up with a bachelor’s degree in information technology by 2024.

The Equity Through Education Scholarship is unique in that it rewards students of diverse ethnic backgrounds who have demonstrated a determination and desire to succeed. In addition, each student submitted an essay explaining how they might increase equity and inclusiveness through their own communities.

Recognizing that information technology careers will remain in high demand, Puentes plans to share his knowledge and experience with computers and cyber security to communities in financial need. It can be more difficult for individuals in these communities to obtain opportunity and access to practice and learn such skills. His long-term goals are to attract under-represented minorities who may come from such backgrounds to the information technology field.

He chose ECTC due to its close proximity to home. As a full-time student, he appreciates the donors who made this scholarship possible.

“College is a major pivot point in the lives of young adults. Students prepare themselves to enter the workforce by building a good work ethic and improving time management,” he said. “I am very grateful for people who understand the importance of education. Thank you for your investment into my future.”