Scholarship Support Helps Student Build a Brighter Future

Tabitha Booth and family

Tabitha Booth is doing it all these days. As a single mother, working nights and weekends as a pharmacy tech, and attending SVSU’s nursing program full time, she has shown true dedication and perseverance as she works toward building a brighter future for her family.

Tabitha realized that she wanted to be a nurse and advocate for patients after witnessing the medical care her grandmother received following a devastating stroke. This desire grew stronger as she started caring and fighting for her four-year-old daughter, who was born with a cleft palate.  

Completing a nursing program is no easy feat, especially as a nontraditional student with a large family to care for. Tabitha has taken inspiration from her mother who was also a single mother and who worked hard to achieve her own goals. Tabitha knew that if her mother could succeed in reaching her goals, so could she.

Tabitha entered SVSU’s nursing program as a full-time student in the winter 2023 semester after having taken her prerequisite classes part-time at Delta. While juggling doctor appointments, class and work schedules, and supporting her kids as they participated in a variety of sports and activities (including soccer, softball, baseball, basketball, football, cheer, and theatre), Tabitha remained an exceptional student. She repeatedly earned a spot on SVSU’s deans’ list, which recognizes students who earn a grade point average of 3.4 or higher.

Prior to the start of this academic year, Tabitha was unsure if she could take on another year’s tuition expense. After her recent divorce from her husband, her family’s financial situation was completely upended, and Tabitha’s dream of a nursing degree was in peril, with only one year left.

“You have to make sure [the kids] have food on the table and a roof over their heads before you pay for a class,” Tabitha said.

Fortunately, an anonymous donor during Oppor2nity Days 2024 made a $30,000 donation to support SVSU students who are parents. This gift established the SVSU Parenting Students Scholarship, which awarded 15 students, including Tabitha, $2,000 for the 2024-25 academic year. Candidates for this scholarship had to be enrolled at least part time (most scholarships require full time enrollment), carry a minimum 2.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need.

With financial support from this and other scholarships, helpful childcare coverage from her mother, and encouragement from the nursing faculty and her fellow students, Tabitha enrolled full-time for her final year of the nursing program. Best of all, scholarships covered Tabitha’s tuition, easing the financial burden so she can better support her family.

“It was just freeing,” Tabitha said about receiving scholarships. “I was really concerned whether or not I was going to be able to finish the program.”

After six years in school, Tabitha is set to graduate this May with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. As Tabitha prepares to walk across the commencement stage in May, she is forever thankful for the support of her entire family, including her mother, children, and boyfriend, as well as everyone who has supported her on this long but worthwhile journey. Looking ahead, Tabitha plans to continue her education at some point to become a nurse practitioner.

For information on how you can make a difference during SVSU's 2025 Oppor2nity Days on March 19 & 20, go to svsu.edu/opp2days25