Hazel Carr Robson Scholarship Puts Alumni on Road to Success

Kennedy Goodnight (pictured clockwise, from top left), Daniel Hicks, Annie (Rogers) Samaniego, and Tyler Wilson have three things in common - they're all originally from Rogers County, Oklahoma; they're all graduates of University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas; and they all say they owe their professional success to receiving the Hazel Carr Robson (HCR) Scholarship.

Coming out of high school, the four were recipients of the HCR Scholarship that was established at U of O in 1988 by the late Helen Robson Walton in memory of her mother. Walton, who grew up in Claremore, Okla., was a former chair of the University's Board of Trustees and a long-time supporter of the private, four-year university located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.

The full-ride scholarship is given annually to one graduate of a Rogers County high school and covers tuition, room and board and learning materials. The scholarship has a four-year value of approximately $140,000.

Wilson, a graduate of Claremore High School and a 2011 graduate of Ozarks, is an attorney in Norman, Okla. Thanks to the HCR Scholarship, Wilson was the first in his family to earn a college degree.

"Receiving the scholarship greatly impacted my life and career," said Wilson. "Attending Ozarks enabled me to take a unique path toward becoming an attorney. I was a biology major and graduated with a biology degree, but when I decided toward the end of my college career to change my career path all the professors were very helpful in getting me prepared to take the LSAT and supported me when I was applying to law school. I can't imagine if I went to a different university, I would have received the same support that I received from the Ozarks."

Samaniego, a graduate of Oologah High School and a 2019 graduate of Ozarks, is a fifth grade science and social studies teacher at Siloam Springs (Ark.) Intermediate School. She called receiving the HCR Scholarship "one of the biggest blessings of my life."

"Not only did going to the U of O become a reality because of it, but it equipped me to become a professional, friend, and learner in my adult life," she said. "My professors encouraged me to make my research and learning personal to me and take it with me wherever I go. My Ozarks education was one of the most surprising and diverse blessings of my life. I was able to study with people from all over the world, gaining so many friendships, and fulfilling a lifelong dream of visiting and living abroad in Northern Ireland studying their education system. I was able to build relationships with my professors during my time because of our small classes which helped me develop into the student I wanted to be. U of O helped me feel confident going into the teaching field because of the amount of exposure and experience I had in the classroom while attending the University. They made sure, starting with the first semester, that we would be in a real classroom with students so that we knew that was the career field we truly wanted to be in. U of O helped me feel confident leading my own classroom, and for that I am truly grateful."

Hicks, of Oologah High School and a 2024 Ozarks graduate, landed a position with Family & Children's Services in Tulsa, Okla., a certified community behavioral health clinic (CCBHC) covering Tulsa County. He is an Individual Placement and Support (IPS) specialist. IPS is a nationally recognized evidence-based practice that helps people with severe mental illness find and keep employment. Daniel is also pursuing a graduate degree in counseling from Northeastern State University.

"Ozarks prepared me by giving me a wide and up-to-date knowledge base in my areas of study," he said. "Ozarks' standards when it comes to writing, researching, academics in general have allowed me excel in the work place. In a time that a lot of graduates have stress about feeling overwhelmed by starting true adulthood. My time and education from Ozarks has decreased that stress immensely."

Goodnight, also of Oologah who graduated from Ozarks in 2023, is a care coordinator for Grand Mental Health, a community behavioral health agency in Owasso, Okla. In her position, she works alongside social workers as a certified case manager and wellness coach to help children in middle and high school.

"My favorite part is the direct care, seeing my kiddos and helping them through things," Goodnight said. "It truly makes my day seeing a kid leave my office happier than when they came in. My favorite words to hear have been 'I've been dying to tell you this.' It's an honor to have such an impactful role in the lives of youth and being a trusted adult who always has their best interest at heart. I truly love my job, and the kids make it all worth it."

Goodnight said being awarded the HCR Scholarship was transformational for her.

"It truly changed my life," she said. "I think we all know the cost of higher education and the stresses it can put on someone fresh out of high school, barely a legal adult. Having financial freedom during your time in undergrad is invaluable; it allowed me to save up for studying abroad, it gave me more time to focus on studies instead of working, and it encouraged me to live on campus, which was the best part. Looking forward, I plan on pursuing graduate school and thanks to the HCR scholarship, the opportunities for me are not limited by undergrad debt."

Goodnight encouraged other Rogers County students to apply for the HCR Scholarship.

"I would recommend University of the Ozarks to anyone, especially if they have this scholarship at their disposal," she said. "Ozarks is a special place, one that felt like home as soon as I went on my first tour."

For more information about Ozarks or the HCR Scholarship, please contact Rebecca Willems, associate director of admission, at [email protected].

Topics: Admission, Scholarship