Caroline Stapleton was one of 12 recipients of Sunward’s 2016 Scholarship. A student of Communication Disorders at New Mexico State University, she hopes to pursue a Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology when she graduates in 2018. Although she received a scholarship at New Mexico State that helps pay for her tuition, Caroline is responsible for other necessities such as textbooks, housing, and food. “This scholarship allowed me to diffuse some of the cost for expensive textbooks, which was a huge relief,” Caroline says.
Caroline’s decision to pursue her area of study was influenced by her own experiences with speech therapy when she was a child. “The speech therapist was very sweet and determined,” Caroline says. “I want to be able to help others the way that she had helped me.”
Her interest in helping others isn’t limited to her career plans. Caroline has volunteered with various organizations in Las Cruces as part of her Spanish class and participates in Autism Speaks events organized by her sorority, Alpha Xi Delta. “My sorority encourages all its members to realize their potential, and I have been able to do this through various volunteer activities,” Caroline says. “Helping others brings me so much joy, and I plan on continuing this throughout my lifetime.”
Caroline has had an account with Sunward and has understood the importance of saving money from an early age. “I have been saving since I was little,” she says, “so that I could use those savings towards my future education.” These days, she also has a checking account and a credit card with Sunward. The checking account, she says, helps her keep track of her spending money, and the credit card is essential in case she has an emergency while she’s away at school.
