"These people really saw something in me that I didn't,
and it showed me that I'm meant for so much more," says
Practical Nursing student Frankie Von Dahlen-Klaus while
reflecting on the support she received from Georgian
College's staff and faculty. "Georgian showed me my
worth."
Frankie didn't always see her own potential. As a child,
she never had a place to call home. She moved around a
lot, bouncing between group homes, foster homes and
weekend residences. As a result, she often questioned
her own self-worth.
"I would judge myself to a socioeconomic standard," she
recalls. "I didn't have parents pushing me to excel as a
child, so I didn't focus on school at all."
But Frankie refused to give up on herself. Despite not
finishing high school, she pursued and received her grade
12 equivalency through Georgian's Academic and Career
Preparation program, before enrolling in the Personal
Support Worker (PSW) program at the Owen Sound
Campus. At Georgian, Frankie found a family that gave
her the support and encouragement she needed to keep
driving forward.
After graduating in 2019, Frankie decided that her
academic journey wasn't complete, and enrolled in
Georgian's Practical Nursing program.
"My teachers were super understanding, and having
smaller class sizes made it easier to get one-on-one
support," she says. "I worked very hard, and Georgian is
a huge part of my story because the staff and faculty were
the ones rooting for me."
But Frankie is quick to point out that the support doesn't
stop at staff and faculty.
"Our community is making so many dreams come true
here," she says. "There are so many students who come
to Georgian with a dream, but even dreamers need a
little help sometimes."
Thanks in part to donor support, more than
87,000 students have graduated from
Georgian College since it was first
established in 1967. Each year, more
than $3 million is made available to
students in the form of bursaries,
awards and scholarships.
But with students enrolled in more
than 130 academic programs across seven
campuses, the need far outweighs the means.
"I think about all the people that have supported Georgian
in the past, and whose gifts have made it possible for me
to get to this point in my life," says Frankie. "For anyone
wondering what kind of a legacy they are leaving behind –
I am your legacy. Every student who you may never meet,
but who you helped to graduate is your legacy. And that's
a pretty great mark to leave on this world."
YOUR LEGACY BEGINS WITH US
Frankie Von Dahlen-Klaus, class of 2019
Your legacy is just a phone call away. To learn more about
how you can support students just like Frankie, call
705.728.1968, ext. 1878 or email Jamie Campbell, Manager,
Alumni Engagement, Annual and Legacy Giving.
33 GEORGIANVIEW 2021 SPRING
SCHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT
