From Self-Doubt to Service-Minded
Emily Carothers, a student at Rochester Community and Technical School, is well on her way to receiving her master’s degree in dental hygiene. However, the pathway she is currently walking – with aspirations to join Dentists Without Borders and bring dental healthcare to people most in need of equitable care – was a pathway paved with doubt. In the midst of this doubt about her career aspirations, Emily was given the chance to experience demonstrated belief and intentional generosity that would forever shape her future, thanks to Earl & Kitty Congdon, through the Congdon Foundation.
For Emily, her motivation to study healthcare started long before her journey into dental hygiene. In fact, it was during her time in high school in Wisconsin that she joined the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) club, had the chance to shadow a dental hygienist, and became increasingly intrigued by dental hygiene as a career path. But as she considered the pursuit of higher education, Emily felt increasing pressure to follow a more “traditional” pathway in her education. After deciding to attend the University of Minnesota to pursue a degree in psychology, Emily couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t where she was supposed to be.
“That was a huge challenge,” Emily shares, remembering her first years at the U of M, “finding your way and what you want to do and who you want to be.”
Yet in the midst of her own uncertainty in what career path she should follow, there were a few points of certainty in Emily’s life. One of those certain things was the generosity of the Congdon Foundation that allowed her to pursue her education at the U of M. As the daughter of a long-time Old Dominion truck driver, Emily discovered she was eligible to receive the Old Dominion Scholarship, a scholarship for children of Old Dominion employees.
The scholarship program, which began in 2015 as the first philanthropic act of the Congdon Foundation, has supported over 225 dependents of OD employees. These scholarships are continuously increasing. The program adds 25 new, $5,000 scholarships each year, supporting the recipients for up to four years of higher education.
“College is such an expensive burden,” Emily notes, “and the scholarship completely lightened the load.”
However, as Emily questioned her decision to study psychology, she finally decided to pursue her original passion for dental hygiene, even though it meant transferring schools and taking a less conventional pathway in higher education. At first, Emily found herself nervous about the opinions of those around her, and even uncertain if the Congdon Foundation would continue to honor the scholarship with the new trajectory she had chosen.
But when the scholarship was renewed, Emily felt that her decision to pursue her passion was confirmed.
“Having that support system… it makes you do more. It pushes you forward,” she says. “Having people around you who alleviate that pressure is essentially what helped me make that decision to go for it and do something I feel fulfilled in.”
After all the self-doubt Emily overcame, she finds herself thankful not only for the Congdon Foundation’s generosity, but her own family’s support.
“My dad always brags to his coworkers,” Emily says fondly. The Congdon Foundation has supported years of Emily’s education, as well as her older sister who is also an Old Dominion Scholarship recipient, giving them the chance to focus on their studies and the outcomes of their educations, rather than the financial burden of higher education.
“It wouldn’t be as easy to pursue my education and not be severely stressed,” Emily says of the financial burden. “It saved me from getting student loans… It allows me to focus on what’s important at this time: school, rigorous coursework, a hard program.”
With a projected graduation date of 2025, Emily is hard at work sharpening her skills and furthering her education at Rochester to prepare to take what she is learning into the world to make a difference. Her eventual goal is to join either a military program or Dentists Without Borders, and much of the humanitarian work she wants to do is only further reinforced by the generosity she’s experienced from the Congdon Foundation.
“It’s something in high school you don’t think about: what you’re going to do to give back to others until you’re directly impacted by it,” she says. “When you see the impact that something can make, it’s something you want to do for others. It’s full circle. When you’re helped out, it inspires you to help others.”
The full circle nature of this scholarship generates hardworking, generous citizens in our world – exactly like the employees that make up the Old Dominion workforce.
"Old Dominion's success relies on the hard work of our employees and the support of their families," says Executive Chairman of the Board David Congdon. "Earl started this scholarship because our family believes in our employees and the bright futures of their kids, just like Emily."
However, as Emily questioned her decision to study psychology, she finally decided to pursue her original passion for dental hygiene, even though it meant transferring schools and taking a less conventional pathway in higher education. At first, Emily found herself nervous about the opinions of those around her, and even uncertain if the Congdon Foundation would continue to honor the scholarship with the new trajectory she had chosen.
But when the scholarship was renewed, Emily felt that her decision to pursue her passion was confirmed.
“Having that support system… it makes you do more. It pushes you forward,” she says. “Having people around you who alleviate that pressure is essentially what helped me make that decision to go for it and do something I feel fulfilled in.”
After all the self-doubt Emily overcame, she finds herself thankful not only for the Congdon Foundation’s generosity, but her own family’s support.
“My dad always brags to his coworkers,” Emily says fondly. The Congdon Foundation has supported years of Emily’s education, as well as her older sister who is also an Old Dominion Scholarship recipient, giving them the chance to focus on their studies and the outcomes of their educations, rather than the financial burden of higher education.
“It wouldn’t be as easy to pursue my education and not be severely stressed,” Emily says of the financial burden. “It saved me from getting student loans… It allows me to focus on what’s important at this time: school, rigorous coursework, a hard program.”
With a projected graduation date of 2025, Emily is hard at work sharpening her skills and furthering her education at Rochester to prepare to take what she is learning into the world to make a difference. Her eventual goal is to join either a military program or Dentists Without Borders, and much of the humanitarian work she wants to do is only further reinforced by the generosity she’s experienced from the Congdon Foundation.
“It’s something in high school you don’t think about: what you’re going to do to give back to others until you’re directly impacted by it,” she says. “When you see the impact that something can make, it’s something you want to do for others. It’s full circle. When you’re helped out, it inspires you to help others.”
The full circle nature of this scholarship generates hardworking, generous citizens in our world – exactly like the employees that make up the Old Dominion workforce.
"Old Dominion's success relies on the hard work of our employees and the support of their families," says Executive Chairman of the Board David Congdon. "Earl started this scholarship because our family believes in our employees and the bright futures of their kids, just like Emily."
Read more about our Education Grantees
"We’re creating our own ecosystem that is poised to turn our home into the “high point” of our state once more."
Rachel Collins, Business High Point
CEO
"When you’re helped out,
it inspires you to help others."
EMILY CAROTHERS, Earl and Kitty Congdon Old Dominion Freight Line Scholarship Recipient
"Compassion is taking action. It’s not being satisfied with the status quo."
Carl Vierling, Greater High Point Food Alliance
Executive Director
"All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God."
Deuteronomy 16:17
"Our board is deeply involved in High Point. Their commitment to the city is evident in their desire for the foundation to form real partnerships with our grant recipients, so that we can support them to grow their impact."
Rev. Dr. Joe Blosser,
Chief Impact Officer