Every four years, a committee of OPTIONS Alumnae awards a scholarship intended to fully fund the cost of college, usually amounting to $12,000 a year for a four-year degree. Eight outstanding women have received this award since 2002. This year, the committee has the pleasure of awarding the OPTIONS Alumnae scholarship to our ninth student, Oluwateleayo Ikheanosi Olubiyi or, as she prefers to be called, Tele.
Tele finished her high school career in the summer of 2024 and is starting her first year at Depauw University this fall. Her journey to graduation is a testament to her intelligence and perseverance.
Three years ago, Tele’s mother, Sarah, decided to relocate to the United States from Nigeria. This decision was tough and came with many setbacks, but Tele and her mom pushed through. Fast-forward to today and Tele has thrived in the education environment while juggling clubs like the National Honors Society, Key Club and working part-time.
The OPTIONS Alumnae Scholarship helps Tele solidify her attendance at Depauw University. Tele was accepted into the Bonner Program, which will cover much of her housing and tuition. Even with this program, other fees and payments will have to be covered, such as technology expenses and travel abroad. The OPTIONS Alumnae Scholarship ensures Tele will have no additional out-of-pocket expenses.
As Tele shared with us recently, this is a big deal for a student who thought she might never go to college. “It means so much… Coming to the United States has been a difficult journey, and there were times when I was apprehensive about if I would be able to go to college. It lightens the financial burden.”
The financial burden of a college education is a major hurdle for many students. Available funding is not always as widely known as it should be. For Tele, a teacher at her high school would play a pivotal role.
“I heard about the scholarship from Mrs. Lewis,” she said. “She connects students who have financial difficulties with opportunities to apply for scholarships for college.”
One of the unique parts of the scholarship is the connection to OPTIONS Alumnae, including a pairing with an OPTIONS mentor. Tele has nearly 500 women cheering her on.
Tele had some moving words to say about this support: “Being connected with people in my area of study and women who I can talk to and look up to is just beautiful. It’s just perfect, like a dream come true.”
At the reception, a few of the OPTIONS Alumni surprised Tele with gift cards so she could go shopping for her dorm room essentials. This is one of the first ways they hope to support her during her college experience.
Women’s Fund is proud to support such a deserving young woman and can’t wait to see her grow through this journey. While the OPTIONS Alumnae Scholarship is only open for applications every four years, Central Indiana Community Foundation and its affiliates award more than 500 different scholarships every year.
If you or someone you know is interested in applying, go to cicf.org/scholarships.
This article was published within the November 2024 issue of the Women’s Fund’s Diane magazine.
