Thank you to 2019 PFL Scholarship Winner, Jennifer Dudley, for writing this blog post. The Lutzie 43 Foundation is grateful we are able to support this wonderful young student through college. 

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I feel so humbled and honored to have been chosen as a PFL Scholarship recipient. I first learned about this scholarship through my mom, who graduated from Auburn University. As I began the application process for the scholarship, I found myself in deep thought about Philip’s legacy. I thought about how much this foundation must mean to his parents, Mike and Mary, and how his legacy lives through this foundation. In a way, I relate to Mike and Mary.

When I was thirteen, my father passed away very suddenly. A year later, my sister suffered from a brain bleed and three strokes. It goes without saying that I’ve endured my fair share of tragedies in my eighteen years; however, I feel that in a way, God is preparing me for the life He wants me to live. 

When I applied for this scholarship, I did not think I had any chance of being awarded a scholarship; however, I thought to myself, “You might as well apply. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” To my surprise, I received a congratulatory e-mail that stated I had been awarded one of the eleven scholarships. My jaw dropped and immediately tears filled my eyes as I began thinking about how faithful the Lord truly is. While I have endured several hardships in my life, He has endlessly provided for me and is always loyal.

Receiving this scholarship means I can attend school in the fall without putting financial strain on my single mother who not only financially supports a college student, but also cares for my sister, a special-needs adult. This foundation is so close to my heart because it not only provides financial means for students to go to college, but also gives back to kids with special needs, like my sister, who want nothing more than to feel included – and that’s exactly what the Lutzie Foundation helps make possible. I am so thankful and blessed to have been selected to receive this scholarship and to represent such a great foundation.

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Jennifer Dudley is a sophomore at Georgia Southern University. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, watching movies, and volunteering at a center for special needs adults located in her hometown. She is a member of Phi Mu Fraternity as well as Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society. Jennifer will begin the nursing program in the fall of 2020. She found her passion for nursing by witnessing the personal connection between a nurse and a patient when her sister, Maura, suffered from a brain bleed and three strokes in 2015. Maura’s nurses helped her accomplish many things such as relearning how to walk, talk, and write. In the future, Jennifer wants to be able to build relationships like this with her future patients.