Fall FVTC scholarship recipient carving her own path; spring scholarship applications open

Not long after becoming a young adult, Bridget Olesen ventured out into the world in search of finding her own pathway to success.
As a teenager, she wasn’t sure where her career journey would lead. Today, however, the 24-year-old Menasha woman is focused – working full-time, operating her own side hustle business and closing in on an associate degree in marketing as a part-time student at Fox Valley Technical College.
“I am funding my education solely from my work, financial aid, grants and scholarships,” said Olesen, who is currently working as an accounts payable manager with Goldfinch Management, a Green Bay property management firm.
She is grateful for having been selected by the FVTC Foundation for the $500 Fall Scholarship offered by Community First Credit Union. “This scholarship will aid me in not only paying for school, but also help in providing for myself,” she said. “I rely on financial aid because I have no other choice.”
It w
as a friend working in the music industry who prompted Olesen to pursue a marketing degree as a good option for a sustainable career path. “Seeing the work my friend is doing as a marketer for a record label has been inspiring to me,” she said. “Being able to engage in creative projects, build brand awareness, and more, is something that interests me a lot.”
Besides learning a lot about various opportunities in marketing, her studies have already been paying off. “It has increased my time management and writing skills, the way I communicate with people professionally, as well as raise my knowledge of what really goes into marketing as a whole,” she said.
“I have some real-world marketing experience with my freelance photography business,” she said. “And, I’m learning a lot about digital and brand marketing, which will hopefully give me a jump start into a career in the world of social media marketing or marketing communications.”
Olesen is on track to graduate next August at which time she may choose to pursue a four-year degree in marketing “if I end up wanting to gain more formal education,” she said. “As someone who has to pay for college and work full time to support myself, scholarships mean more than the donors may know,” she said. “Thanks Community First!”
Stacy DeVoe, FVTC Foundation Scholarships – Program Specialist, said Olesen was one of 824 applicants in the Fall semester and one of 416 students chosen to receive scholarships totaling $324,225.
Applications open Jan. 6-Feb. 17
Every spring and fall, the Fox Valley Technical College Foundation awards scholarships to deserving students pursuing an associate degree, technical diploma or an apprenticeship. Community First Credit Union is among the many scholarship sponsors, offering a $500 scholarship in each of the fall and spring semesters to any student enrolled and attending FVTC classes.
Applying is free, easy and no essay required (only references from two FVTC instructors).
Applications for the Spring 2025 scholarships will be accepted Jan. 6-Feb. 17. To learn more or apply, go to: https://www.fvtc.edu/paying-for-college/scholarships.