作者：辛西娅·休伯特

2023年9月11日

似乎没有什么能阻止莎莫娜·汤普森·罗斯实现她的目标。

不是无家可归。 18岁还没当妈妈。 不是虐待关系。 甚至在她准备开始在博彩平台的学习时都没有被诊断出患有乳腺癌。

面对每一次挫折，汤普森·罗斯都获得了力量和动力。 如今，她是孩子和同龄人的榜样。

For her accomplishments, the CSU has recognized Thompson Ross with a 2023 Trustees Award for Outstanding Achievement, the CSU system’s top student honor.

This isn’t the first time Thompson Ross has been recognized for her scholastic excellence: She also received a 2021 囊状态 Dean’s Award as the top student in the College of Education.

“I’ve had to scratch and claw for everything,” said Thompson Ross, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Social Work at 囊状态 after earning her undergraduate degree in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies in 2021.

“Quitting is not an option for me,” she said. “I’ve come too far for that.”

Thompson Ross is one of 23 CSU scholars – one from each of the system’s campuses – to win this year’s Outstanding Achievement award. 这项荣誉还包括1.1万美元的奖学金。

囊状态 President Emeritus Robert S. Nelsen nominated Thompson Ross for the award, calling her a shining example of student success and someone who displays “incredible will and determination to succeed.”

Thompson Ross, who intends to obtain a doctorate after finishing her master’s program, plans to parlay her success into helping socially and economically disadvantaged people of color and children with disabilities follow their dreams.

“I want to be a role model, not just for my kids but for my nieces and nephews. 我想服务并回馈我的社区。 I want to empower others, and let them know that they can achieve whatever they want to achieve.” ——莎莫娜汤普森罗斯

她自己的道路有时也很坎坷。

汤普森·罗斯16岁高中辍学，18岁怀孕。 她遭受了无家可归和绝望的折磨，离开了虐待她的伴侣。

为了改变她的生活，她决定教育是她最好的前进道路。 21岁时，她获得了高中同等学历证书，后来在学生贷款和其他经济援助的帮助下上了社区大学。 到2018年秋天，她准备转到萨克州立大学。

然而，在她的道路上又出现了额外的障碍。 就在她计划开始上课的时候，她得知自己得了乳腺癌。 虽然她曾短暂地考虑过在接受治疗期间翘一个学期，但她最终决定在双乳切除术后恢复期间开始她的Sac州立大学之旅。

“When I got to that beautiful campus, it was like God himself was talking to me,” Thompson Ross said. “I said to myself, ‘Nothing’s going to stop me.’ ”

她的第一学期是一片模糊。 她有孩子要养，手术后的疼痛和不适还在。 在家里，她的橱柜几乎是空的。 她与抑郁和焦虑作斗争。 尽管如此，她还是以满分4.0的成绩完成了学业。

汤普森·罗斯认为，她从萨克州立大学的项目、教职员工那里得到的资源和鼓励让她走到了终点线。 She singles out the 教育机会计划, the 麦克奈尔学者项目, and the 危机援助及教育支援服务 program for helping her navigate challenging times.

“People on the 囊状态 campus have been so helpful to me,” said Thompson Ross, who is now married with four children and two stepchildren. “When I was in a dark place, someone always stepped in to support me.

“I just didn’t want to fail. I had a real fear of failing myself, so I just kept going.”

她说，偿还学生贷款和其他债务是汤普森·罗斯必须克服的下一个障碍，科罗拉多州立大学的奖学金将帮助减轻这个负担。 有了持续的支持，她有信心实现自己的个人和职业梦想。

“I want to be a role model, not just for my kids but for my nieces and nephews,” Thompson Ross said.

“我想服务并回馈我的社区。 I want to empower others, and let them know that they can achieve whatever they want to achieve.”