When we look back on 2020, we’ll certainly consider it a year like no other – with unprecedented challenges and change. Yet, when we reflect on our year at Questa, the enthusiasm and determination of Questa scholars was unwavering – perhaps even strengthened.
Whenever I talked to Questa scholars this year, I asked how their education and their lives have been affected by the pandemic, they were unfailingly upbeat about their switch to online classes last spring, the opportunity to get back to campus this fall despite restrictions, and the importance of their college experience overall.
In general, we see a lot of headlines questioning if college is worth the cost. This year, with not only financial obstacles, but also testing, masks and ever-changing restrictions, students answered the question. They persisted and thrived. They know college is worth it because of the new idea sparked in class, the challenging content they finally mastered, the great new friendships they found, and the opportunity to see their “old school” professor learn some new tricks on Zoom.
Students know college is an investment in their futures. It’s a dream they aren’t giving up on. And, it’s a dream made possible for students because of the support from our community.
For over 80 years, Questa has harnessed community support to help students access education, graduate with less debt, and contribute to our regional workforce. This year was no different and we expanded our programs and partnerships to support scholars in new ways.
We responded to the hardships of the pandemic by offering deferments to graduates who needed it and opening late-round applications for new scholars who needed financial support to make college possible this fall. Questa is proud to be supporting over 400 scholars from the region as they pursue certificates and degrees.
This year, we also added new programs, including the Degree Finish Line to help students return and complete their degrees and the 80/20 Manufacturing Scholars program to support students pursuing careers in the manufacturing industry. New partners made these programs possible. Questa was proud to develop new collaborations with 80/20 Foundation Trust, Ferguson, Foellinger Foundation, the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, and Visiting Nurse Fort Wayne. We renewed partnerships with long-time supporters like AWS Foundation, Cole Foundation, Parkview Health, and the Yergens-Rogers Foundation. Questa also welcomed three new partner schools—Anderson University, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Taylor University—who will join other colleges and universities in the region to support Questa scholars with an additional 25% of debt forgiveness upon graduation. This was also the year we bid a fond farewell to retiring executive director, Marc Levy, who led Questa’s growth and success for eight years. I was honored to join Questa in April and deeply inspired to discover the talent and passion of the staff and board members who make this work possible. Every partnership and each individual supporter strengthen our network of support for students from our region.
At Questa, when we look back on 2020, we’ll remember it as a year when our students were undeterred by the challenges, and our community didn’t waver in their support. Thank you for continuing to believe and invest in local talent.