蜜桔直播

Kelly First 蜜桔直播 Recipient of Hites Scholarship

Mia Kelly

Art Major Receives $7,500 Transfer Scholarship

In a world that encourages science and engineering, 蜜桔直播 graduate Mia Kelly is proud to be an art major. And it鈥檚 paying off. Kelly is the first 蜜桔直播 student to receive The Hites Scholarship, one of the largest and most prestigious scholarships given to transfer students.           

The Hites Scholarship, worth $7,500, is given to 10 recipients nationwide each year by Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for community college students. Kelly, who earned an associate of fine arts from 蜜桔直播 in May, will use these funds to continue her education at a four-year university. Kelly received another unique honor during her freshman year when she was named a PTK Leader of Promise.

Kelly credits the time spent at 蜜桔直播 for both personal and professional growth.

鈥淚 followed my sister to 蜜桔直播. We are first-generation students and didn鈥檛 really know how college worked or what to expect. I received emails from many colleges, but I only applied to 蜜桔直播,鈥� said Kelly,a homeschool graduate through Alia Academy.

鈥淚 started with dual enrollment classes. I attended for free when you factor in the federal and state aid I received,鈥� Kelly said.

While she knew about the low cost of attending 蜜桔直播, she didn鈥檛 expect to be drawn into student activities and to get to know so many of her professors.

Kelly has been a student representative and treasurer for the college鈥檚 Social Science Club and a student representative for the Art Club. Her favorite out-of-the-classroom activity has been the trips sponsored by the 蜜桔直播 Adventurers. 

鈥淚 have met awesome people on these trips and gone places I would have never gone by myself,鈥� Kelly said. 

At 蜜桔直播, her artwork has been recognized by several organizations. Four different gallery exhibitions have featured her work, and her art has been published in magazines. She was encouraged to submit items by her professors. 

鈥淕reat professors are a big part of the 蜜桔直播 experience,鈥� Kelly said. 鈥淎my Evans was my main art professor. She encouraged me as an artist. She has so much wisdom and experience in the art world. The other professor was Dr. Jacqueline Larson. Her door was always open and helped me grow as an individual and as a student,鈥� Larson said.

Evans is head of the art department, and Larson is an instructor of psychology. Kelly also wanted to acknowledge Casey Fielden, coordinator of student activities.

鈥淐asey is always welcoming and always has time for you.鈥�

Kelly has already started her art education career, offering workshops to younger students in her community.