Each week, Evolve502 is introducing members of the Student Success Team. This week, meet Sarah Shaaban, Evolve502’s Scholarship and Student Success Director. Sarah joined Evolve502 in May.
Title: I am the Scholarship and Student Success Director at Evolve502. I work very closely with our partner colleges like Jefferson Community and Technical College, and Simmons College of Kentucky to ensure the transition for students from high school to college is seamless.
Hometown: Owosso, MI, I went to my Junior and Senior Year at Owosso High School, but I grew up in Qatif, Saudi Arabia.
Education:
For my Bachelors degree I attended Eastern Michigan University in Psychology and for my Master’s degree I wanted to move to the big city so I attended the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in counseling.
What led you to Evolve502?I am very passionate about providing access to higher education and making it affordable for students. I feel education is an equalizer in many ways and it is often a barrier due to cost and by working with Evolve502, we are able to make post-secondary education a possibility for eligible JCPS grads.
What’s the best part of your job? I love working with my team of Student Success Coordinators. They are an amazing group of passionate people, who want to help and support students and seeing their passions comes through, lights me up inside.
What advice do you have for students who are considering their college and career options for post high school? I wish I had known to not be afraid and apply for as many scholarships as I could. That often times money gets left on the table because people don’t apply to many of them, because they feel they may not meet all of the criteria or that it might be harder than what it actually is.
What is your number one tip for students going through the Evolve502 application process? I would say that it is important that your contact information is typed correctly so that we can reach you with any follow-up information.
What do you wish you had known when you started college that would have better prepared you for the experience? That it is very different than high school. You will be responsible for managing your time and class schedule. There will not be as many reminders about homework or where you are supposed to be and that your Syllabus is like your map and guide for each class.
What is one random/fun fact about you? I have visited 23 countries and my favorite has been Italy. I love cooking and the food there was amazing, but also one of the highlights was getting to take a group of students on a study abroad trip to Italy and for many it was their first time out of the country and to get to be apart of that experience was incredibly rewarding.