“Faced with divorce and needing to support myself on my own at age 51 after being a SAHM for 20 years was daunting because I hadn’t finished my degree years earlier. Life threw me a few curveballs on the way and it just hadn’t happened. I had to move in with my mom, I couldn’t get hired for anything but part-time retail, not enough to live on. After 35 years, I returned to UW-La Crosse to finish the bachelor’s degree I started in 1988. I couldn’t have done that without Pell grants. Education has opened so many doors for me, and I plan to help keep the doors open for those who come after me, and help them succeed in any way I can.”

Tracie B.
UW-La Crosse

“Receiving the Pell Grant made college an option for me. Without it, it would have been even harder for me to afford to get a post-secondary education, as I come from a low-income family and did not receive financial support from family. I plan to use my UWL education and further education (master’s in counseling from Viterbo University) to support children affected by traumatic experiences and help them heal.”

Ashley E.
UW-La Crosse

“The Pell Grant provided the invaluable support that allowed me to fully engage in my interdisciplinary studies and surrounding community at UWL. I am now a senior revising a journal article I am preparing to publish and am now poised to pursue law school in fall 2026. Going forward, I intend on using my education to create meaningful change through public service.”

Adrian M.
UW-La Crosse