When University of Central Arkansas graduates Jessica Chavez ’21 and Amanda Okolo ’21 logged into separate Skype meetings in 2018, they thought the sessions would be a follow-up interview for the UCA scholarships they had applied for. The conversations quickly turned into celebration upon hearing they both were awarded a Baxley Foundation Scholarship.
Established in 2017, the Baxley Foundation Scholarship Fund provides full-ride scholarships that cover tuition, books, fees, housing and a meal plan. The scholarship is funded through the student’s senior year as long as the recipient remains in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must be an Arkansas resident who graduated from an Arkansas high school. The scholarship stipulates that students must be ineligible for federal aid and therefore rely upon student loans or family for financial assistance.
“Our intent is to alleviate the financial burden of students, allowing the students to focus on their studies and make positive contributions to society post-graduation,” said Paul Baxley ’98 on behalf of the foundation at the time the scholarship was established. “The Baxley Foundation is delighted to support a university that three of our family members attended.”
“The Baxley Foundation Scholarship took a weight off of my shoulders,” Okolo said. “It gave me the chance to spend more time on my studies, as well as build relationships that will last many years.”
As the youngest of five children and daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Okolo always knew she had to find a way to earn an education, but she wasn’t sure how. During her freshman year, she earned a scholarship that paid for most of her expenses, but she had to work to pay for her books. When she received the news that her last three years of college would be paid for in full, Okolo was able to focus on school instead of how to pay for it.
“It makes me feel very special that a family who doesn’t even know me offered to pay my college tuition,” she said. “They believed that I could be more than just a scholarship. The fact that the Baxley family and UCA faculty are willing to help college students so much blows my mind every day.”
With this scholarship, Okolo was able to take advantage of all that UCA has to offer. She was a member of the Association of Future Alumni, President’s Leadership Fellows, Women of Excellence and the Pre-Physical Therapy Club.
The May 2021 graduate majored in health sciences with a concentration in physical therapy. She begins work toward earning a doctorate in physical therapy at UCA in the fall.
Chavez was joined by her parents, Martin and Anna, when she met with the Baxley family via Skype. For Chavez, the Baxley Foundation scholarship was “life changing.”
“The Baxley Foundation Scholarship, along with UCA Career Services, has pushed me forward in both my schoolwork and my career,” she said. “I love the resources at UCA, and I would choose it just for the resources. They offer so much to students including resume help, the WOW Closet and career fairs.”
Chavez graduated in May and pursued a business management major with a minor in psychology. To prepare for her career, she spent the past two years working at a local bank as a teller. She also worked closely with the bank’s human resources department, realizing her passion for the field. As a result, she joined the Human Resources Club at UCA.
“We got to attend the SHRM [Society of Human Resource Management] Convention in Hot Springs where I got to network with HR professionals and get a more in-depth look at what it’s like to be in the field,” she said.
Chavez emphasized that the Baxley scholarship propelled her forward to new heights.
“It pushed me to be more ambitious,” she said. “I knew I was going to have the chance to finish college and prepare for my career.”