Meet our incredible 2026-27 Scholarship Recipients!

Rhacinda "Cindy" Barner lives with her two boys in Kings Mountain. She attends Gardner Webb and is working toward her B.S. in Nursing. She hopes to become a nurse anesthetist or a nurse practitioner.

She has always wanted to provide direct patient care and feels that each of her educational experiences has helped prepare her to become a nurse. Barner attended UNC Wilmington after high school but left before completing her degree in psychology. She experienced divorce in 2018 without much warning and it threw her and her family into a situation she did not see coming. Since then, she and her family have rebounded, and she is in a long-term relationship with someone who pushes her to achieve her dreams.

Quanae Bennett lives with her family in east Charlotte.  She is attending UNC Charlotte and will graduate in May 2026 with her B.S. in Nursing . Bennett hopes to build a career in health care to help others live healthy, meaningful lives.

Like many women, Bennett put her educational goals on hold while she prioritized marriage and helping others. She has been a single mom for three years and links her experiences with personal growth and the opportunity to start a new chapter. She strives to be an example for her daughter by working hard, being brave, and living an authentic life.

Bennett believes opportunities to learn surround us each day. She wants to instill in her daughter the power of good judgment in hopes she will gain wisdom and pursue a lifetime of learning.

Dasja Chisholm is attending the University of South Carolina–Columbia and plans to graduate in December 2028 with a Bachelor’s degree in Cardiovascular Technology.  She works full-time at Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

Chisholm returned to college after stepping away to care for her terminally ill grandmother and navigating the grief of her loss. Today, she balances work, parenting, and school with determination, proving that no obstacle is too great to overcome. Inspired by her desire to create a brighter future for her family, Chisholm hopes to use her degree to educate her community about heart health and help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Through her journey, she is teaching her son that education, resilience, and hard work are powerful tools that no one can ever take away.

Kayla Clark, a mother of two, is pursuing a degree in civil engineering at Central Piedmont Community College and plans to graduate in 2027. She works full-time as an apprentice carpenter with F.A. Wilhelm.

Kayla's educational journey has been marked by resilience. After earning an associate degree from Gaston College and becoming a certified pharmacy technician, feeling unfulfilled, she explored several other career paths before discovering her passion for construction and engineering. The loss of financial aid and reliable transportation forced her to pause her education. In 2020, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Losing her mother, her biggest supporter, was a devastating turning point.

Determined to fulfill her dreams, Kayla returned to school, paying for classes out of pocket whenever possible. “I decided I could no longer wait to become who I wanted to be,” she says. She is committed to earning her engineering degree and one day launching a company that designs and builds affordable housing.

With the support of her family, Devin Coffing has returned to college determined to finish what she started. The mother of one son is a senior at UNC Charlotte, studying for a B.S. in Health Systems Management with expected graduation in May 2027. She plans to continue on to a master's degree in education.

Coffing faced significant personal challenges early in life, including an abusive relationship that interrupted her educational journey. Yet she never gave up on her desire to earn a degree. Today, she balances school while working three part-time jobs as a Pre-K teacher, after-school counselor, and gymnastics coach.

She hopes to show her son that perseverance, courage, and lifelong learning can open doors to new opportunities.

Lindsay Davis lives in Gastonia with her partner and two children. A student at UNC Charlotte, she plans to graduate in May 2026 with a B.S. in Human Resources Management and minor in psychology.

Davis had her first daughter at 17. She worked multiple jobs as a single mom to secure a decent life for her daughter. There were weeks when she had to pick between paying for food or the light bill. Seven years ago, she met her partner and father of her youngest daughter, who also became a father to her older daughter. With the support of her family, Davis knows she is on track. She wants her children to understand that life can be made better with an education and while better late than never, it is easier if you start early.

Jessica Fernandez hopes to become a pediatric nurse practitioner and provide compassionate care to children and their families. She is studying for a nursing degree at Carolinas College of Health Sciences, with expected graduation in fall 2026. Fernandez has two daughters, ages 7 and 5, and says she draws strength and motivation from their love and curiosity.

 After high school, Fernandez went straight into the workforce but soon realized she wanted more for herself and her girls. Returning to school has been challenging, but it's also been one of her most empowering decisions. Fernandez also works part-time as a certified nursing assistant with Bayada Home Care, balancing parenting, work, and school.

Through her example, she wants to show her daughters that no dream is too big, no obstacle too great.

A mother of three children, Star Fletcher graduated in May 2026 with an associate degree in nursing at Gaston College. Fletcher is returning to ANSWER and will be attending Gardner-Webb University working toward her Bachelor of Nursing.

She works part-time as a nurse aide on the medical-surgical unit at CaroMont Regional Medical Center and lives in Gastonia with two of her three children. Her journey back to school began during the COVID-19 shutdown, when she remembered that as a child that she wanted to be a nurse, but becoming a mother at 19 shifted her focus. Fletcher felt she could no longer play it safe and decided to chase every dream with no fear because her 6-year-old daughter was watching.

Fletcher plans to earn a master's degree, ultimately becoming a nurse practitioner in dermatology and opening her own medical spa.

April Fowler knew at a young age that she wanted to work as a nurse and started college right out of high school. But the summer after her freshman year, she got pregnant, had her first son, and did not return to college. Still desiring a healthcare career, she worked as a certified nursing assistant.

Fowler graduated in December 2025 from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, earning an Associate Degree in Nursing. She is returning to ANSWER this year and will be attending Winston-Salem State University for her Bachelor Degree in Nursing. Today, Fowler is the mother of five, ranging in age from one to 19. “My children and my partner encouraged me to go back

to school and finish pursuing my nursing degree,” she says, “because they know how much it means to me.”

Kyera Freeman says that becoming a mother gave her a renewed sense of purpose and the courage to pursue the future she always envisioned. She is earning her associate degree in nursing from Gaston College, with plans to graduate in May 2027.

Freeman is the mother of two young sons, one with autism, and credits her husband as one of her greatest sources of support throughout her journey. Together, they have balanced the demands of raising their family while encouraging each other to pursue their goals. She works full-time at CaroMont Women’s Health. After graduation, she hopes to begin her nursing career in an intensive care unit before eventually transitioning to maternity nursing. She plans to continue her education by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Raising a child with autism, Freeman says, has strengthened her ability to advocate for others, adapt to challenges, and persist through difficult situations. She hopes her journey—and the unwavering support of her family—will inspire her children to believe that hard work, perseverance, and education can make even the biggest dreams possible.

A full-time Care Connections representative with Novant Health and devoted mother of three, Tanika Johnson returned to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by a desire to serve families in need and make a difference in her community. Today, Johnson is a junior at Johnson C. Smith University, earning a B.S. in Social Work.

She didn't attend college after high school as she was navigating young motherhood and uncertain of her path. Through personal loss and leaving unhealthy relationships, she discovered resilience, strength, and purpose. Her late father's words – "Do what you were made to do" – continue to inspire her.

Johnson hopes to work with individuals facing addiction, homelessness, and abuse. Above all, she wants her children to see that education opens doors to possibility, purpose, and joy.

Jovita Lipscomb is a native North Carolinian, a Gastonia resident, and a junior at North Carolina Central University. She plans to graduate in May 2029 with a B.S. in Public Health Education. Lipscomb works full-time as a registered medical assistant at Kintegra Health and is the proud mother of three.

As a high school senior, Lipscomb was accepted to several colleges, including NCCU. But when she learned she was pregnant with her oldest daughter, her plans changed. The support system she believed would help her continue her education after giving birth was no longer there, and she made the difficult decision to put college aside to focus on meeting her responsibilities as a young mother.

Lipscomb is the first person in her immediate family to graduate from high school and to earn an associate college. After graduating, she hopes to continue working for her current employer, Kintegra Health, as part of the Community and Prevention Team, focusing on HIV prevention and the management of HIV and AIDS. In the future, Jovita plans to apply to Physician Assistant (PA) school so she can provide high-quality healthcare to underserved communities and help improve access to essential medical services

Shakyma Murphy grew up in a challenging neighborhood in New York and learned early that creating a different path would require courage and persistence. After moving to North Carolina following high school, she became a young mother and put her education on hold to focus on raising her son and providing for her family. But she never let go of her dream of earning a college degree.

A junior at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, Murphy is pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with expected graduation in December 2027. A devoted mother to Antonio, 15, and Jaxon, 6, she demonstrates to her children that it’s never too late to pursue your goals.

Her ambition: to become a registered nurse who provides compassionate care while serving as a positive example for her family and community. She wants her children to know that “where you start in life does not determine where you will finish.”

There’s one key lesson that Brittani Nixon wants to teach her three daughters: “It’s important to take your education seriously,” she says. “If you want to achieve your goals and be successful, you need to have a solid education.”

A part-time employee at Learning Jungle in Concord, Nixon is following her own advice. She is earning an associate degree in nursing at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and plans to graduate in May 2027.

Nixon postponed college while raising her oldest daughter as a single mom, choosing to put her child's needs first. Today, her husband supports Nixon’s goal of becoming an ICU nurse. She is committed to building a career that allows her to care for others while creating lasting opportunities for her family.

Celeste Paul is studying for a B.S. in Business Management and minor in computer science at Belmont Abbey College. She anticipates graduating in 2027. “I know God is working through ANSWER scholarship to provide me this opportunity to go back to college,” she says, “and I’m so grateful.”  Paul lives with her five-year-old son in Lake Wylie, S.C., and has been a single mom for four years.

Paul is a survivor of both physical and mental abuse. Following graduation, she hopes to work in technology and to open a nonprofit home that provides for, rehabilitates and helps women like her overcome abuse.  She wants to instill in her son the power of determination, leadership, sacrifice, and discernment.

Melissa Poindexter, a married mother of two, has worked for years as a hairstylist. She later provided hairstyling and makeup services for the deceased at a local funeral home. She considered it an honor to provide this service and did so for free. Over time she realized she wanted to help people facing serious illnesses while they were still alive.

Poindexter graduated from Gaston College with an associate degree in nursing and general education. She is returning to ANSWER this year and will be attending Lenoir-Rhyne University for her B.S. in Nursing. She hopes to become a hospice nurse. Raised by a teenage mother, Poindexter says in her younger years, survival skills were far more emphasized than personal growth or academic advancement. Despite this attitude she aspired to break the cycle of limited opportunities. She believes that getting her education will set a great example to her children.

Amanda Roberts spent years raising her family and overcoming significant challenges. This scholar is proving that it is never too late to pursue a dream. A single mother of five and grandmother to one, she attends Gaston College, where she will earn her Associate in Arts in 2026 before transferring to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work.

Following a 26-year marriage marked by financial and emotional hardship, she made the courageous decision to build a new future for herself and her children. Today, she is a full-time student and volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem in Gaston County, advocating for children in the court system.

Roberts is passionate about creating safe, stable environments for children who have experienced trauma. She hopes to become a social worker and a strong voice for vulnerable children while showing her family that education is a pathway to independence, opportunity, and empowerment.

Zykijah Watson lives with her husband, an army veteran, and their three children in Gastonia. She graduated from Gaston College in May 2026 and will transfer to UNC Charlotte where she is working toward a B.S. in Biology and ultimately hopes to become a neurosurgery physician assistant.

When Watson was 14, she witnessed a fatal drive-by shooting that had a profound effect on her life. She was inspired to act and later became a certified nursing assistant. This position exposed her to nurses and physician assistants who supported her and showed her that there were no limits to what she could achieve. The tragic shooting taught her that she wanted to help change lives, and the other nurses taught her that she could do exactly that.

Roxana Williams became a mother at 16. Education took a backseat to raising her daughter. In 2024, the sudden loss of her father, her last living parent, sparked a turning point. Channeling her grief into purpose, Williams decided to go back to school and build something meaningful for herself and her family,

A married mother of two, Williams is studying for a B.S. in Nursing at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, with expected graduation in December 2027. Her faith and resilience guide her.  She wants to enter the nursing field to offer compassion and care to others in their most vulnerable moments. Her journey is a reminder for herself and her children that determination and motivation can overcome anything.

Celeste Zamor attends Gaston College and is studying for her associates in nursing.  She is a licensed practical nurse and works part-time at Nurses and More, caring for medically fragile children while they are at school. She says that having a son on the autism spectrum has taught her a lot about resiliency.  Helping him become stable became a priority and her own schooling was put on the back burner.  She is now refocusing on her education.

Zamor has always emphasized to her children the importance of education on any level, whether it’s a trade or a college degree. “Getting an education will push you further in life. Nothing is easy, but you must be consistent and determined.”