When Amy first walked through the doors of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) in 2008, she didn’t yet know that the college would become the foundation of both her education and her career.

As a psychology student, Amy received the Patricia McElroy Memorial Scholarship, an experience she still describes as transformative. That support helped ease financial pressure and gave her something just as valuable: confidence. It meant she could stay focused on her education rather than being overwhelmed by the barriers that often stand in the way of college completion.

“NOVA gave me more than an education. It gave me the chance to believe I could finish,” Amy shared. “That scholarship changed what I thought was possible for me.”

After NOVA, Amy transferred to James Madison University, where she received a transfer scholarship that gave her a full ride and allowed her to graduate debt-free. That milestone shaped the trajectory of her life and career, reinforcing a belief she now carries into her work every day. Financial support doesn’t just help students enroll. It helps them persist, graduate, and step into opportunity without pausing dreams and having long-term debt holding them back.

Over the next 13 years, Amy’s relationship with NOVA came full circle. She returned not just as an alumna, but as a leader, now serving as an Associate Dean at the college that once supported her as a student. In this role, she works closely with students who are navigating many of the same challenges she once faced, from financial stress to balancing school with life responsibilities.

Her perspective deepened as she began speaking at events. One message she returns to often is how even modest support can change a student’s trajectory, helping with tuition, transportation, childcare, or other barriers that might otherwise force someone to pause or leave school entirely.

“Students are often carrying so much more than coursework,” she explained. “When donors step in, it doesn’t just reduce financial stress, it gives students space to breathe, focus, and succeed.”

Amy has seen firsthand how donor investment fuels confidence and momentum. It allows students to spend more time learning and less time working multiple jobs, and it opens doors to internships, transfer pathways, and long-term career growth.

Looking back, Amy sees a clear thread running through her journey, from student, to scholarship recipient, to alumna, to college leader. At every stage, access made the difference.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without NOVA and the support I received along the way,” she said. “And now I see it as part of my responsibility to help create that same opportunity for others.”

To donors, Amy’s message is simple and deeply personal:

“Your support doesn’t just help students attend college, it helps them stay, succeed, and become leaders in their own right. I am one of those stories.”

To join the NOVA Foundation Alumni and Friends Network, please click here.