For DonorsFor Applicants

Pinki Promise Scholarship

Funded by
$1,025
1 winner$1,025
Awarded
Application Deadline
Jan 31, 2024
Winners Announced
Feb 29, 2024
Education Level
Any
4
Contributions
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
Any
State:
Florida, Georgia, Colorado, Alaska, and Hawaii
Background:
Has pet(s)

Many college students have pets, and balancing the financial responsibilities of pet care with educational expenses can be overwhelming. The Pinki Promise Scholarship recognizes the challenges that many college students face while caring for their beloved pets amidst the financial responsibilities of education. 

The Pinki Promise scholarship’s heartfelt aim is to empower deserving students to achieve their academic and career aspirations while caring for their cherished animal companions. In honor of the memory of Pinki, a cherished college pet, the Pinki Promise Scholarship is passing forward the immeasurable blessings and joy Pinki brought into the lives of those who loved her. 

The Pinki Promise Scholarship aims to support students passionate about their pets and dedicated to pursuing a degree.  

Students with pets from FL, GA, CO, AK, and HI are eligible to apply. These are all of the states that Pinki lived in during her life.

To apply, please share your unique journey with your beloved pet, including details about the bond you share, your degree aspirations, and your dream job. Please also include a photograph of your cherished pet. 

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Compassion, Pets
Published September 13, 2023
Essay Topic

Please share your journey with your pet, your intended degree, and your dream job, along with a picture of your beloved pet.

400–600 words

Winning Application

Diana Pinto
Broward CollegePlantation, FL
Zoey is unlike any chihuahua I've ever had. She is friendly, cuddly, doesn't bark, and above all, loves people. She always makes heads turn, and people question her breed because of her remarkable demeanor. Several have even asked to keep her should I ever choose to rehome her. That, of course, will never happen. I cannot have children and in a way, she kind of fills that void. If I am being honest, it was not intended for me to keep her. I used to work as a Veterinary Technician and I remember when I first met Zoey and her then-owner. She was always so excited to see us and would chaotically zoom out of her carrier eager to greet us. She was one of my happiest patients, and one I always looked forward to seeing when she was on the schedule. Unfortunately, Zoey's owner was faced with terminal cancer and surrendered her to us. I chose to foster her. We all know how that goes. At the time, she wouldn't answer to her given name, so I called her "Puppy". The doctors and my co-workers insisted I give her a name. The rule of thumb is, that if you name the foster, you keep it. I knew what they were planning, but I named her anyway. As time went on, I grew closer to Zoey and eventually she became my best friend. Zoey came to my family and me during a difficult time. Previously, we had chihuahuas that were all slowly passing away from old age, specifically kidney issues. They were all the same age considering they came from the same litter, so naturally we lost them within 3 years. With her rambunctiousness and joyful self, she brought life back into our family and instantly I knew she was there to stay. About a year ago I decided to go back to school and work on my A.S. degree in Nursing. After the Covid pandemic and the understaffing of healthcare professionals around the country, many patients did not receive the care that they deserved. I have always been one to want to help people, whether it was treating their pets as I did so for over a decade, or currently as a surgical technologist during their surgical procedures. This has all led me to what I want to be; a Nurse. As many pre-nursing students have encountered, it is not an easy program and financially it is very difficult to not only make ends meet but also take care of my fur-baby. Zoey is my light at the end of the tunnel. Through the first year of pre-nursing school, she was always my therapy when I just needed a moment to regroup. Nursing school can be overwhelming, but my little nugget has always been there to ease me and remind me that we should appreciate all the little things this world has to offer. I plan on working for as long as the program allows me to so that I can continue to have a roof over my head and feed my free-loader Zoey who provides the best therapy a woman could ask for. For this reason, I hope I will be considered for this scholarship. Even if just to pay for my books, every little bit helps. With or without this help...I will do whatever it takes to finish because nurses are fighters.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Jan 31, 2024. Winners will be announced on Feb 29, 2024.