Scholar Testimonials
Suzanne – Chesterton Academy
What does being a Flaherty Scholar mean to you?
“Being a Flaherty Scholar means striving for excellence in everything I do, whether it be academically or socially.”
Tell us about an instance where you felt embraced by the Flaherty community.
“When I made the decision to attend Hamline University, the Flaherty Family staff was so excited for me. I felt like they were eager to see me succeed and cared about me.”
Tell us about an experience you’ve had attending a non-required opportunity.
“I’ve been lucky enough to take advantage of an Enrichment Grant Opportunity every year I’ve been with the Foundation. Freshman year, I went to Hamline University’s mock trial camp. Sophmore year, I went to BestPrep’s Minnesota Business Venture camp, and I attended a summer writing institute at Rhodes College. Although all of the camps I attended were very different from one another, they all taught me vital soft skills for any workplace. Teamwork, critical thinking, and oral/written communication are all skills I’ve gotten to improve during these programs, not to mention specific skills about activities I’m interested in. I never would have attended any of the programs I listed if it weren’t for Flaherty Family Foundation. My family and I feel so lucky to receive the help we do.”
Colibri – Visitation School
What does being a Flaherty Scholar mean to you?
“After God and my family, it basically means everything else. Without being a Flaherty Scholar, I would not be going to the high school that I attend right now. My education at Visitation is something that I would never change; and it isn’t even just the education. Being a Flaherty scholar has given me a network and community to fall back on; it provides me with adults who care about me and believe in me. Being a Flaherty Scholar is something that I will forever thank God for. The fact that the Flaherty Foundation chose me is something that will forever be kept in my heart because they believe in me and what I can accomplish; thanks to them, it is one of the reasons I continue to work hard and persevere through any challenge. I hope one day I will be able to give back what the Flaherty Family Foundation has done for me. They have transformed my life and I will forever be grateful to them.”
Tell us about an experience you’ve had attending a non-required opportunity.
“I was able to be a peer leader for the Freshman Scholar Orientation over the summer after my junior year. It showed me that I am comfortable with speaking and enjoy helping and meeting new scholars. I was also the team leader for the Flaherty Friend Team Challenges at my school. It showed me the importance of communication and that the presence of every member in our group is valuable and essential.”
The Flaherty Family Foundation supports Scholars in many ways. What has been impactful to you?
“The individual and college check-ins, as well as the group visits at the school. They have always lifted my spirits and helped me not to over worry (because I tend to do that a lot) and I always enjoy seeing everyone together in a group; it is nice to catch up.”
Justin – Archbishop Curley High School
What does being a Flaherty Scholar mean to you?
“Being a Flaherty Scholar is a true blessing within itself. The opportunity that the program provides for its students allows them to push towards their goals in and outside of the classroom.”
Do you feel a sense of community with other Scholars?
“I feel a strong sense of community with other Scholars. One true experience of this is when we went to Six Flags for the Flaherty Scholar Summer Celebration . Although they didn’t go to the same school as me, we still found common interests and even exchanged socials to keep in contact.”
Tell us about an experience you’ve had attending one of the required workshops.
“Personal Branding Seminar with Mr. Kent Noble: Mr. Noble brought up the topic of setting attainable goals yet, goals you can reach within a year. It is something that I still stick with to this day. Setting attainable yearly goals helps one reach their overall success faster rather than just blurting out a huge goal. It takes goals in steps to reach true success.”
Laura – St. Agnes
What does being a Flaherty Scholar mean to you?
“Being a Scholar means so much to me. I know that the Flaherty Family Foundation has my back. They support and believe in me. It’s literally family to me because I know they will help catch me when I fall and I wouldn’t think twice about doing the same for them.”
What makes the Flaherty Family Foundation community unique, different or special from other communities you are involved in?
“Even when we have competitions or just fun little games, everyone wants to see each other succeed and have fun. No one gets left behind. Even though we all come from different backgrounds, we are united and want to see our Flaherty family thrive.”
Do you feel a sense of community with other Scholars?
“Even though we hangout with different people or have different interests, the Flaherty Family Foundation community at my school is always welcoming and kind. It meant a lot to me as a freshman. Now as an upperclassman, I try my hardest to do the same.”
Sarah – Academy of the Holy Cross
What does being a Flaherty Scholar mean to you?
“Being a Flaherty Scholar to me means that I have people who believe in me. It gives me not only perseverance to push myself in my academic and high school career but it also allows me to have confidence in the things I do.”
What makes the Flaherty Family Foundation community unique, different or special from other communities you are involved in?
“Everyone in the Flaherty Family Foundation community is there to push and better one another. I have never been a part of such a loving and motivated family.”
Tell us about an experience you’ve had attending one of the required workshops.
“The Career Exploration Workshop with Mr. John Bendt opened my eyes to how many opportunities I have in my life. I immediately went home and started looking into careers that interested me. I have always had a hard time understanding myself and my personal interests but by attending the workshop I came to a further understanding that it is ok to not know. I also learned that once you do know, you chase it.”
Jasmine – Bishop McNamara High School
What does being a Flaherty Scholar mean to you?
“It means being a part of a close knit community and having extra support, not just financial, but emotional as well.”
Tell us about an experience you’ve had attending one of the required workshops.
“The Personal Branding Seminar allowed me to reach a deeper understanding of myself. I even include some of the principles we learned that day into my morning affirmations.”
The Flaherty Family Foundation supports Scholars in many ways. What has been impactful to you?
“The Flaherty Family Foundation has helped a tremendous amount with my college process. As a first-generation student, the college process was new to my parents and I so it was great having the Flaherty Family Foundation team by my side and guiding me along the way.”
Casey – Mount Saint Joseph High School
What does being a Flaherty Scholar mean to you?
“Being a Flaherty Scholar means that I have an opportunity. Not only in the aspect of countless academic opportunities, but also to grow in a community of Flaherty friendships. I have had several “wow” moments. Being a Flaherty scholar all together just makes me think sometimes of how lucky I truly am to have so much support and people that want me to be successful in my life.”
Tell us about an experience you’ve had attending one of the required workshops.
“The Personal Branding seminar was by far one of my favorite workshops. I was able to grow within myself and also watch my Flaherty friends grow. It was a great way to really get to know my fellow Flaherty friends. One activity that I remember specifically is when we moved to different sides of the room depending on our personal preference for different things. This was a great activity to get to know scholars with similar interests as me.”
Tell us about an experience you’ve had attending a non-required opportunity.
“I participated in an Enrichment Grant Opportunity. This is one of many opportunities presented to Scholars throughout the year and it is a very significant one. Over the summer, I attended a leadership camp at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where I learned many valuable skills that I continue to apply in my life today. Another Flaherty friend joined me and we had a great time. We often worked in small groups and were paired with new people each time to continue to meet new friends.”
Dan – Bishop Ireton High School
What does being a Flaherty Scholar mean to you?
“It means so much. It’s fun and rewarding. I’m proud to be a Scholar and it’s like the Flaherty Family Foundation is a second family.”
Do you feel a sense of community with other Scholars?
“I very much feel a sense of community when I’m with other Scholars. I attended a Flaherty Family Foundation council meeting and everyone at the meeting just sat down and talked about their lives. When I was talking, everyone was really fascinated and respectful. It made me feel very embraced.”
Tell us about an experience you’ve had attending one of the required workshops.
“I really enjoyed the Career Exploration Workshop for a lot of reasons. It impacted me personally because I now have a broader view of what I want to do as my vocation in life. I walked away with a mindset that if you have the right motivation, you can do anything.”
Parent Testimonials