The Spring 2025 Fawell & Fawell Out-of-State Student Scholarship

Peyton Hennig

After several life-altering events affected, Peyton took on the challenging role of both caregiver and student. Despite facing many obstacles, she has gained invaluable life lessons that will help her throughout her life. Congratulations, Peyton, your determination is truly inspiring!

Read her essay here:

This fall, I was faced with a series of unexpected challenges that have profoundly impacted my life as an out-of-state student. On November 1st, my father passed away after a sudden and aggressive battle with stage 4 colorectal cancer. He was not only my closest family member but also the primary provider for our household. On that same day, my stepmother was critically injured in a drunk driving accident, suffering a broken spine and third-degree burns. My life was turned upside down and I had to return home to Illinois to care for my two preschool-aged brothers. During this period, I became the primary caregiver for my family, managing finances, making funeral arrangements, and ensuring my brothers were safe and well cared for while my stepmother recovered.

These unforeseen events made my transition back to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in December even more difficult. Being away from my siblings has been the hardest aspect of being an out-of-state student. The emotional weight of not being there with them after such a difficult loss has been a challenge. Despite this emotional burden, I have learned invaluable skills that have helped me to thrive. The need to balance caregiving, working to support myself, and keeping up with my academic responsibilities has helped me to improve my time management more than ever before. I’ve learned how to prioritize tasks, stay organized, and make every minute meaningful. Despite the overwhelming circumstances, I managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA after returning to finish my fall semester, and I’m more determined than ever to succeed to help my family. In the future, I will continue to tackle this challenge by further refining my time management skills and using detailed schedules to help me manage my responsibilities more effectively. I also plan to make better use of academic resources, like office hours, to stay on top of my studies and ensure I can maintain a high level of performance.

The financial burdens of these challenges have only intensified the difficulties of being an out-of-state student. My father’s passing left behind significant debt, and my family’s financial situation makes it impossible for them to contribute to my education. Despite receiving the maximum Pell Grant, I’ve had to take out $47,000 in student loans to cover tuition, and I also work 20 hours a week as a nanny to help pay for rent and groceries. Though I often struggle mentally to balance my responsibilities, it has made me more focused and driven to succeed. I know that earning my degree will be the key to one day providing for my family and offering them the support they need, just as I’ve done in the past few months.

The Out-of-State Student Scholarship would provide me with financial relief and allow me to focus more on my studies, not just for myself but for my family. It would also help me to continue to act as a support system for my brothers while I continue to pursue my academic and career goals. I am determined to succeed, and winning this scholarship will help me achieve that success by relieving financial pressures that come with out-of-state tuition.