Scholarships Matter: Halle Lindsay Finds Herself by Helping Others

Scholarship recipient Halle Lindsay.
Scholarship recipient Halle Lindsay.

From the April 2016 Desktop News | Scholarships Matter is a series of stories highlighting students in the College of Arts and Sciences who have received and been impacted by scholarships. The student featured in this story is the recipient of one university-wide scholarship and one College-wide scholarship—the Hill Ferguson and Joseph W. Sewell Endowed Scholarship. Scholarships like these are made possible by generous support from our alumni and friends.

For senior Halle Lindsay, becoming a leader on campus did not come easily. As a freshman at The University of Alabama, she was unwilling and nervous to speak in front of people.

“I was nervous to even say my name and major in front of others,” Lindsay said. “Getting involved on campus has allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself to become a better person and a leader.”

Now, as a psychology major on the pre-med track, Lindsay is the president of the only all-female honor society on campus, XXXI; she is one of the first African-American women on campus to be initiated into Alpha Gamma Delta; and she is an Involvement Genius at the Office of Student Involvement, where she helps to promote ways students, faculty, and staff can get involved at UA.

With all the work she has does on campus in addition to her service as a volunteer teaching science at University Place Elementary School, Lindsay has received two scholarships to help her pay her way through school.

“Receiving a scholarship and being recognized for the work I do inside and outside of the classroom has been so rewarding to me,” she said. “My twin sister is also a UA student, so my parents have had to pay for everything times two. Receiving scholarships is not only an honor, but it has really helped me and my parents financially.”

Lindsay’s scholarship has allowed her to pursue her dreams of becoming a pediatrician.

“I knew I wanted to be a doctor ever since I was little because a doctor helped my twin sister when she had open-heart surgery,” Lindsay said. “Seeing how he helped her made me want to help others in my future career.”

Post-graduation, Lindsay plans to attend the University of Connecticut for their medical post-baccalaureate program before attending medical school in the New England area.

In the future, she hopes to give back to other students, especially those who need financial assistance, and create scholarships that recognize leadership and service.

“I want to build relationships and make UA better when I leave it,” Lindsay said.

The Hill Ferguson and Joseph W. Sewell Endowed Scholarship was established in 1995 by Mrs. Virginia Ferguson Sewell Jones and her children to honor the memory of Hill Ferguson and Joseph W. Sewell. The award is given to students who have a minimum 3.0 GPA and who are active in student life activities on campus.

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