Meet Next Step Scholarship Recipient Leslie Peterson 

You’re learning real-life skills that you can actually apply towards your passion. Don’t sell your passion short."

The path through medical school is famously expensive, but aspiring physician Leslie Peterson will be paying back less in student loans thanks to the Next Step Scholarship, which will cover a good chunk of her expenses next year at the University of Washington Tacoma (UWT).

UWT awards the aptly named Next Step Scholarship to one student per year from each of the nearby community colleges. Peterson says she learned about it from Chemistry instructor Jeff Engles, who sent out a notice about it to his Organic Chemistry class.

“Normally by the time you’re in Organic Chemistry, you’re done with TCC,” said Peterson.

At UWT, Peterson will apply for the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences and Bachelor of Mathematics programs. She plans to minor in education, in case she ever wants to teach.

Peterson first started community college in Alaska, putting college on hold when the recession hit, but then she and her husband started their family. Now she has time to dedicate herself to academics full time, and she’s made an impact at TCC, serving as a Supplemental Instruction (SI) leader and as an officer in OSE’s Pre-Med, Dental and Pharmacy Club. She also volunteers at Reed Elementary Scool, Harbor Heights Elementary School, and CHI Franciscan Hospice services.

As a physician, Peterson would like to specialize in primary care, oncology, or geriatrics. Aware of the costs she’ll be incurring on the journey through medical school, she’d like to put off taking out loans as long as possible.

“If not for scholarships, I’d be a one or two class per quarter student,” said Peterson.

Offering up to $6,000 per year, the Next Step Scholarship pays for one-third to one-half of a student’s tuition. If you keep your GPA above 3.5, it can be reinstated for a second year. Peterson recommends that TCC students considering transfer to UWT apply for the scholarship.

“Getting people into school at all has a huge impact, but going from a two-year school to a 4-year school -- It’s signing up for another level of commitment to your academic career,” said Peterson.

She pointed out that if you’re applying for one scholarship, you’ll be gathering the materials you need to apply for all of them. But the first step to winning an award like UWT’s Next Step Scholarship – a step you can take long before you start filling out applications -- is to take your education seriously.

“When I first started college, I didn’t appreciate the knowledge I was gaining, I was just trying to pass the exams,” said Peterson. “But you’re learning real-life skills that you can actually apply towards your passion. Don’t sell your passion short.”

Photo courtesy of Leslie Peterson.