Sadie Holt thankful to the donors who helped her graduate
Sadie Holt (Construction Engineering Technology ’18) says it was on the highway somewhere near Calgary that she made a life-changing decision. She had moved to Alberta from British Columbia for a fresh start a few years earlier. But things simply weren’t turning out the way she hoped. After a bad relationship, she suddenly found herself homeless.
Holt packed her vehicle with her dog and all her belongings and began the journey back to Vancouver. On her way, she called her mom. During that conversation, Holt had a change of heart. She turned back, determined to pursue her dream to attend NAIT’s Construction Engineering Technology program.
Holt found a place to stay and a job to make a living until she could enrol in the program the following year.
Going into her second semester, Holt learned she was expecting a baby girl that coming July. She says she was thankful that she had applied for several scholarships.
“Through the first year and up until the week I had my daughter, I was working while I was in school,” says Holt. “The scholarships were really helpful in not having to stress about the fact that I had a baby coming, would have to take time off work and I was going to be a single mom.”
Holt’s mom was able to help those first few months after the arrival of baby Indiana. Then, without missing a beat, she was back in classes that fall after putting her small daughter in daycare.
“It feels good to have that help and someone wants to support a single mom, or adult learning."
Somehow, she says, she was able to balance her course work and being a new mom.
“My parents are back in Vancouver, I found it really hard,” she admits. “My daughter is a lot of work and the course load is 8 classes per semester.”
All Holt’s hard work paid off when she crossed the stage to accept her diploma at convocation this spring as her family watched from the crowd – an accomplishment she says was in part made possible through those donors who support scholarships.
“It feels good to have that help and someone wants to support a single mom, or adult learning. I would just like to say thank you. You made such a difference.”
Published on May 28, 2018.
Share this page:
Scholarships help new mom pursue dreams
Sadie Holt thankful to the donors who helped her graduate.
Share on Facebook