By Matti Pennington | Reporter
The Official Baylor Ring Scholarship awarded its first ever scholarship to Waco senior Anais Tello earlier this month.
The scholarship fund was created to allow more students to be a part of the Official Baylor Ring festivities.
“Winning this scholarship allowed me to stop and celebrate all that I have accomplished within my educational career,” Tello said. “I am a first-generation, transfer student who works full time overnight, as well as am a full-time student that is actively involved with clubs, conferences and my positions at Baylor.”
Tello said she applied to the scholarship because she wanted an official Baylor ring, but knew she could not afford to get one on her own.
“I saw applying as a chance to invest in myself and my happiness, as I am my sole provider, and often cannot afford the luxuries that I want,” Tello said. “However, I saw my class ring as an exception, and thought that I deserved to have a beautiful ring that represents my path and my time here at Baylor.”
Director of Alumni Traditions Heather Beck said in the future she hopes the scholarship will grow and be able to award more students each semester. In June of last year, Beck and her colleagues decided adding this scholarship would improve the Official Baylor Ring tradition.
“A lot of universities have a ring scholarship,” Beck said. “I can’t wait to continue to award more and more and more students. Being able to award one was great, but ideally, I would love to award 10 or 20 a year.”
The official application for next semester’s scholarship opens on Aug. 23.
“Applicants submit an application and a written essay,” Beck said. “Then we send it to our alumni board of advocates and they review the essay to select a winner. We think that this will be the way we continue to pick a winner because it went fairly well this first time around.”
Tello said the process of applying for the scholarship was easy and straightforward.
“I would recommend for anyone who cannot afford a class ring to apply. The application process was comfortable and non-judgmental,” Tello said. The Baylor Alumni are so compassionate and kind, which made the complete process a wonderful experience.”
For each Official Baylor Ring purchased, a percentage goes to the Official Baylor Ring scholarship and donations.
“We are actively fundraising for this scholarship,” Beck said. “For example, we will make it one of the featured funds that people can give to during Baylor Giving Day which will be on April 14.”
The scholarship awards the winner with $1,000 of credit to purchase their ring through Balfour. The winners also get to be a part of BeaRing Night and The Official Baylor Ring Ceremony.
“It is opportunities like this one that allow for students with less resources to feel included and valued in events they may not have been able to participate in,” Tello said. “Although an official class ring is not a need, it symbolizes my unique journey at Baylor and represents the resiliency I strive to have as I continue pursuing my dreams.”
