Berkeley Middle College Student Wins $30,000 Scholarship for Essay

Picture provided

By Zaneta Kennedy

Imagine going to school without having to worry about tuition. Sounds like every college student’s dream, doesn’t it?

This dream is a reality for Elizabeth Scannell, a junior at Berkeley Middle College. Scannell won the $30,000 grand-prize through the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Voice of Democracy scholarship.

This year's theme was "Is there pride in serving in our military?" Participants were to write a three to five minute essay and record their voices on a CD to submit. Judging begins locally, then progresses to district, and then to state. State winners are invited for an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C., where the winner is announced at a conference. The grand-prize is a one-time $30,000 award. Scannell's essay "Is There Pride in Serving in Our Military?" won. 

Scannell was overjoyed to hear her name announced. “I was shocked, excited, and extremely thankful,” she says. “All in that order.”

Scannell also says that she knows exactly what she’s going to do with her prize. “I definitely will be using this for college! No doubt about it!”


Scannell was a student of English Department faculty member Lorene Coward in English 101 last semester. Coward says of her former student, "She is unbelievable!" 

Scannell is a business administration & economics major, and will graduate in 2013.