Ann Marie McCollum

“My intended goal was to go into the Navy right out of high school. When my mom found out about the Chancellor’s Leadership Council scholarship from my high school counselor, I made a deal with my mom to attend college for four years if I got the CLC scholarship instead of going to the Navy,” AnnMarie McCollum says.

Needless to say, Ann Marie, who is a 2018 UAFS graduate, received the prestigious CLC scholarship when she was a senior in high school.

AnnMarie says that she was very involved in high school, so when she came to UAFS and signed up for extracurricular activities, she struggled initially to juggle them along with a couple of jobs and school. Luckily she was informed about some organizations that she could receive scholarships from, including Resident Assistant, University Ambassadors, and orientation leaders.

Today you can find AnnMarie on campus working as the new resident director of the Lion’s Den residence hall.

“I was so blessed to have people such as Dr. Dave Stevens, who called out leadership qualities in me, and Dr. Laura Witherington, who always encouraged me to pursue everything I wanted to do and reminded me that time was fleeting. Even after I’ve graduated, Dr. Witherington is still my mentor, but now she makes me call her Laura.”

The best advice AnnMarie says she could give to any first-generation student is to get involved on campus, find those peers and faculty who will challenge you, and don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help when you need to.

This is Ann Marie McCollum, and she is #first2go.