Rent-A-Center understands the importance of arming students with the tools needed to succeed. That’s why Rent-A-Center has awarded $60,000 in scholarships to 60 students going back to school this semester to pursue undergraduate degrees. In addition, the company is giving each scholarship recipient a new Google Chromebook.
“At Rent-A-Center, we have a passion for helping make good things happen,” says Sonia Holland, Rent-A-Center’s senior director of communications. “We are delighted to play a role in giving these students the opportunity to succeed.”
Scholarship recipients were selected based on their academic and non-academic accomplishments, community activities, work experience, and educational goals. Twenty recipients were dependents of Rent-A-Center employees, while the remaining 40 were either Rent-A-Center customers or their children.
“Being the first of seven siblings to graduate high school and attend college is one of my major accomplishments,” writes recipient LeKendric Castion, the son of a Rent-A-Center store credit manager in Cordova, Tennessee. “Receiving this scholarship will greatly assist me with college expenses. This scholarship allows me to show the world what I am capable of.”
Banisha Blake, a customer from Pensacola, Florida, knows that she has tremendous opportunities because of this award. “As a mother of identical twin boys, one of whom has autism, this scholarship will assist me with my education,” she writes. “It will pave the way not only for me, but especially my boys. I’m thankful and humbled by this opportunity.”
Since 2004, Rent-A-Center has donated more than $790,000 to students through the Make-A-Difference Scholarship. The following is a list of 2018 recipients who have given permission for their names to be published:
- Abbigale Daughtery, New London, Missouri
- Alexandra Villalon, McKinney, Texas
- Alyssa Rodriguez, Celina, Texas
- Amanda Riffe, Ada, Michigan
- Austin Gent, Davin, West Virginia
- Banisha Blake, Pensacola, Florida
- Brandon Loftis, Webster Springs, West Virginia
- Brianna Meinecke, Frisco, Texas
- Brighton Garner, Dallas, Texas
- Brittainy Carrell, Spring, Texas
- Caden Perreira, Honokaa, Hawaii
- Cailey Garner, Dallas, Texas
- Courtney Byrnes, Duncansville, Pennsylvania
- Dalton Byrnes, Duncansville, Pennsylvania
- Dewintheria Wint, Lauderhill, Florida
- Eric Welch, Cochranville, Pennsylvania
- Erin Conachen, New Baltimore, Michigan
- Hope Gift, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
- Imane Bouzit, Somerville, Massachusetts
- Jacob Furtney, Sterling Heights, Michigan
- Jada Solomon, Newark, New Jersey
- Jade Turner, Wyncote, Pennsylvania
- Jayla North, West Palm Beach, Florida
- Jessica Lanthrip, Warren, Arkansas
- Jessica Murdock, Colville, Washington
- Jessica Trosper, Northwood, Iowa
- Jordan Burkhardt, Carneys Point, New Jersey
- Jorge Vega, Santa Rosa, California
- Jose Ivan Rios Arroyo, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
- Julia Vasilyev, Frisco, Texas
- Kaitlynn Miller, Wingo, Kentucky
- Kelsey Osborne, Smyrna, Tennessee
- Kyla Ibarra, Muskogee, Oklahoma
- Landon Mapes, Belmont, New York
- Laura Walsh, Hominy, Oklahoma
- LeKendric Castion, Cordova, Tennessee
- Makaela Zuege, Gulfport, Mississippi
- Matthew Boensch, Frisco, Texas
- Michael Vasilyev, Frisco, Texas
- Mikayla Bird, Liverpool, New York
- Nautica Young, Centreville, Illinois
- Rosalynne King, Oroville, California
- Sergio De La Torre, Bakersfield, California
- Shailyn Saito, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
- Stephanie Cervantes, Bakersfield, California
- Stephanie McGary, Central Point, Oregon
- Taeleasha Jones, Wake Forest, North Carolina
- Tela Todd, Houston, Texas
- Trinity Oliver, Memphis, Tennessee
- Tyanna Livingston, Pensacola, Florida
- Tyra Johnson, Cordova, Tennessee
- Tyshaia Zekena Earnest, Mount Morris, Michigan
- William McCoy, Stevensville, Michigan
- Zachary Campbell, Warren, Ohio