In the latest “U.S. News and World Report” list of Best Colleges, Washington University in St. Louis is ranked 15th. The Missouri college resides in the rarefied air of Ivy League institutions and the best state flagship public universities in the country. WashU’s cost of attendance reflects its level of prestige. Without financial aid, a student would pay nearly $85,000 yearly for tuition, room and board.
Ozarks Technical Community College Middle College student Alyssa Pritchard will attend the prominent university in St. Louis, but her cost of attendance will be zero thanks to a full-ride scholarship.
“When I first applied, I was less concerned about where I went because I knew I couldn’t afford to pay for college myself,” Alyssa said. “No one in my family has ever had an opportunity like this.”
Alyssa has overcome challenges most of her WashU classmates cannot imagine. At 16 years old, Alyssa experienced homelessness due to what she calls a “complicated” relationship with her parents. She lived with a sibling for several months before a friend’s family took her in.
While attending Logan-Rogersville High School, a counselor encouraged Alyssa to attend the OTC Middle College, where she could study drafting and design. The Middle College allows juniors and seniors to attend OTC full-time while still in high school.
“Without drafting and the Middle College, I’m not sure I would have stayed in school,” Alyssa said.
Now, she’s on track to graduate with an associate degree in drafting and design and her high school diploma this May. Plus, she still plays saxophone in the band at Rogersville.
Alyssa’s work ethic and ability to overcome challenges helped her earn a QuestBridge scholarship, which will cover her bills to attend WashU. QuestBridge is an organization with a mission to connect “… the nation’s brightest students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education and further opportunities.”
Alyssa won the state’s Breaking Traditions Daphna Jones Spirit Award during the spring semester. The Breaking Traditions Award recognizes students who pursue education in non-traditional fields, and the Daphna Jones award is for hard-working students who overcome obstacles in their educational pursuits. Breaking Traditions comes with scholarship funds, as well.
Alyssa will use her drafting and design background at WashU as an architecture major.
“I thought about studying art, but I’m also good at math, so I considered engineering,” Alyssa said. “Architecture blends the two disciplines.”
Being from a rural background, Alyssa is also excited about the cultural opportunities she will experience living in the state’s largest metropolitan area.
“WashU is near Forest Park, so I’ll be able to walk there with friends,” Alyssa said. “The first thing I want to do is go to the symphony.”
In Alyssa’s case, the OTC Middle College served as a bridge between two possible futures. While experiencing homelessness and few opportunities, the Middle College illuminated an alternate path. Now, Alyssa’s on a trajectory she would never have imagined.
