Thomas College has been the biggest turning point in Elizabeth Waterman ’21’s life.

“I worked a full-time job in high school in order to make it here today, and at one point I was so overwhelmed by life, school, and work that I just felt like things would never work out,” she said. “A year later, here I am. It is not something I take for granted, and I value the desire and drive I’ve had to be here today and how it will be one of the biggest elements of my success one day.”

Elizabeth is studying Digital Marketing Management at Thomas College. She is a first-year student from Gardiner, ME.

Scholarships are the only reason Elizabeth was able to attend Thomas College.

“I don’t come from a very fortunate household, and it was established early on that college would be my sole responsibility. During my senior year of high school, it came to a point where I thought I would not be able to attend Thomas in the fall, as I just could not afford it on my own. I then worked with the school and was able to get an additional scholarship; and, because of that scholarship, I am here today.”

Elizabeth said she is so thankful she is able to attend this amazing school.

“My senior year of high school I was financially supporting myself, and on top of that, I was trying to afford college in the fall. That’s a lot for an 18-year-old student to take on, and scholarships are really what make it possible in the end,” she said.

Elizabeth chose Thomas College because she knows her education will help her after graduation. She is looking forward to growing academically and socially at Thomas.

“I am passionate about life here on campus. I am passionate about my education because of the way I truly feel at home here. This school will not only provide me with a personal education but also a drive to succeed and a skillset to do so, ” she said.

She is so happy that Thomas College is her home now.

“I hold so much passion in my life here at Thomas, and I want nothing more than to see my own success and the success of my peers,” said Elizabeth. “This is such a beautiful community we have created, and making students financially comfortable is a big part of that; I think it’s something that’s taken into great care here on campus. ”

*This story was originally published in the Winter/Spring 2019 Thomas Magazine.