My name is Susan, and I am a mother of three and a working professional in Northern Virginia. Born in upstate New York, I moved to Northern Virginia in the early 80’s. I decided to enroll in NOVA after being out of school for over 20 years. I plan to major in accounting, and NOVA online has made it easier for me to work full-time and attend classes. The Nova Friends Fund has helped make it possible for me to go back to school. In addition to their financial support, the monthly mentoring with Tatiana has helped me tremendously. From aid in enrolling in classes to guidance with my schoolwork and communication with my professors, Tatiana has been an asset in helping me succeed my goals. I am extremely fortunate to have been selected as a participant of their foundation.

Susan Savage

Elizabeth Tarpley Scholarship Recipient

2021 – Present

Chief Executive Officer | Box Em Up

Hi, my name is Daniel and I’m originally from Egypt. I moved to the United States when I was in elementary school and went to public school in Northern Virginia. After my freshman year at a previous university, I needed to come back home because of some personal issues. NOVA was the best place to be with great proximity to home. Once I graduate, I plan on studying either Mechanical or Biomedical Engineering. I was lucky enough to come across the Nova Friends Fund. The NFF provided me with a great advisor and mentor that always provided me with the best advice. Not only did they provide advice, but they can be a great person to just talk to. 

My name is Hesub Chaka, and I am an international student from Ethiopia. I am majoring in computer science, and it is my last semester at NOVA. I chose NOVA because it is an excellent place where you get affordable high quality education with an inclusive and diverse community. I believe NOVA is also a great place to meet different people with different backgrounds. Once I finish my education at NOVA, I plan on transferring to University of Missouri and get my Bachelor in Computer Science. I received a scholarship from Nova Friends Fund Program (NFFP) for Spring 2022. This scholarship is not only about giving students money to help them financially but it also includes academic mentorship/coaching. I got the chance to meet up with my mentor once or twice a month to discuss my academic standings and transfer process. I loved and enjoyed my mentorship since it gave me guidance and reassurance that I am going in the right path to reach my goals.

My name is Meelod, and I’m a first-gen Afghan American studying Computer Science at Northern Virginia Community College and the President of five clubs at NOVA (STEAM, Manassas Honors, Cloud Computing, and Phi Theta Kappa at Woodbridge). Earlier this year, I finished up an internship at NASA, and I’m currently at Oak Ridge National Lab studying chemical kinetics using Monte Carlo simulation. As you’ve surmised, I’m a big tech guy and super interested in exploring the intersection of technology with social good.

I came to NOVA for financial reasons; the burden of attending a four-year university was too much for me to afford, and NOVA was the perfect solution. While I loved my time here, I plan to transfer to Pomona College next fall to continue studying Computer Science, exploring machine learning along the way.

The NOVA Friends Fund Program was that push in the right direction to help me with my academic goals. My favorite moments had to be meeting with my mentor to discuss my current progress and coming up with a game plan for the future.