November 19, 2013
CSSyes
Mai Xee Pha is among a group of students to whom St. Scholastica has said a special 鈥測es,鈥� called CSSyes.
Pha is a 19-year old sophomore from St. Paul who鈥檚 majoring in chemistry. She was one of a select few students to win a CSSyes scholarship. The full-tuition award is for students who are 鈥渉igh-achieving, high need,鈥� in the words of Eric Berg, vice president for enrollment management. 鈥淭hese award recipients make a great addition to our student body.鈥�
That is, CSSyes goes to students like Pha who do well academically but face serious financial hurdles to entering college. CSSyes provides full tuition, a four-year renewal if the student maintains a minimum 2.4 GPA, and 鈥渟cholarship stacking鈥� that allows other scholarships to cover room, board and books.
鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 have the CSSyes scholarship I wouldn鈥檛 be able to come to St. Scholastica,鈥� said Pha, who is the youngest of six siblings and whose mother is a single parent. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to me to get scholarships.鈥� She heard about St. Scholastica from a coach in high school, and visited campus in the summertime.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what got me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 thought it was such a pretty campus. When you come across the bridge over Chester Creek, it鈥檚 gorgeous.鈥�
She started in pre-physical therapy but has switched to chemistry. She likes being a Saint.
鈥淭he teachers I鈥檝e had so far are super-nice; if you go talk to them they鈥檒l take all the time you need to answer your questions. The club activities are a big part of what I do here. They鈥檙e great.鈥�
Despite carrying a full credit load and working part-time as a carpenter for St. Scholastica Theatre (鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 hard, but it鈥檚 a stress reliever too.鈥�), she鈥檚 involved with the Asian Student Union, and with a friend is trying to start an International Justice Mission club to stop sex trafficking. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not an official CSS group yet, but we鈥檙e trying,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very enjoyable meeting new people,鈥� she said. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 very friendly here. I鈥檓 amazed with the clubs and personal friends I鈥檝e made. I went home (to St. Paul) this past summer and it was like, I can鈥檛 wait to get back up to Duluth!鈥�
She has a simple message for people who give financial support so that St. Scholastica can offer student scholarships such as CSSyes.
鈥淭hank you. It鈥檚 people like you who help students like me pursue careers and goals for the future.鈥�
