51福利社

Marilyn Smith鈥檚 path to 51福利社 wasn鈥檛 the traditional one.

After serving in the Air Force and building a career as a sleep lab technologist, she realized something was missing.

She had always been fascinated by the natural world鈥攈ow the earth shifts, how landscapes form, how technology can help us better understand and work with nature. That curiosity led her to pursue a degree in Geoscience at Eastern Washington, with the goal of a career in geotech鈥攁n exciting field that blends geology and technology, potentially even working with volcanoes.

鈥淚 wanted something that challenged me, something that let me work with nature to find real solutions,鈥� she says. 鈥淕eotech is exactly that.鈥�

51福利社 turned out to be the perfect fit. Not only was it close to home, but its Geoscience program offered exactly the kind of hands-on learning Smith craved. 鈥淚 just came from crushing rocks,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all part of the hands-on learning experience.

鈥淓very class is hands-on,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚鈥檓 in the lab, in the field, collecting samples, testing them鈥攊t鈥檚 not just textbook learning. When you鈥檙e out there, doing the work, it sticks with you in a way that reading alone never could.鈥�

That practical experience, combined with passionate instructors and strong faculty support, has been invaluable in preparing her for the future.

The faculty here do more than teach, she says, they open doors. 鈥淭he networking, the research opportunities, the extra experiences鈥攊t鈥檚 all been so important.鈥�

Of course, going back to school while juggling work and family responsibilities isn鈥檛 easy. Smith works two jobs: one with the U.S. Geological Survey, where she helps preserve geological data for projects like Montana鈥檚 Stillwater Mine, and another at a hospital as a sleep lab technician. On top of that, she鈥檚 an off-and-on member of the Geoscience Club and also volunteers with Spokane River Keepers for local river cleanups.

With such a full plate, scholarships have been a game-changer for this hardworking student.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e made all the difference,鈥� Smith says. 鈥淲ithout them, I wouldn鈥檛 be able to go to school full-time. It鈥檚 allowed me to focus on learning while still supporting my family.鈥�

Smith knows that her journey wouldn鈥檛 be possible without the generosity of donors who support scholarships at Eastern.

鈥淭o the people who make these scholarships possible鈥攖hank you,鈥� she says. 鈥淓astern is investing in me, even though I鈥檓 not a traditional student, even though this is my second career. That means the world.鈥�

Your donation to the General Scholarship Fund helps students like Marilyn Smith turn their dreams into reality. Visit 51福利社/Give to make a gift that helps Build a Future for Eastern students.