Scholarships Open Doors for Recent Graduate

Angela Paparazzo calls Moscow, Idaho home. She knew about Eastern Washington University for years, but it wasn’t until she discovered the Urban and Regional Planning program that she seriously considered enrolling. The program’s hands-on approach, combined with affordable tuition and scholarship opportunities, made her decision clear. “Eastern gave me a launchpad… providing me with the opportunities I was looking for,” she said.

Transferring from Spokane Falls Community College, Angela dove right into her coursework. At Eastern, she was encouraged students to meet working professionals, she already understood the value of learning through connection.

Her professors didn’t just teach, they brought local planners into the classroom, connected students with community projects, and opened doors.

“Because of those relationships, I landed internships with the University District and later with Spokane Transit Authority,” she said. “Those roles let me be both a student and a planner. By the time I graduated, people already knew my name in the field.”

Those internships paid off. Before she graduated, Angela had already accepted a job in her field. Now she’s focused on what drew her to planning in the first place: creating a more equitable world through smarter transportation and land use. “I don’t have a dream job, but I do have a dream,” she says. “I want to help build systems that work for everyone, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get there; whether that’s working locally or becoming a transportation official at the federal level.”

Behind that drive is the support that made it all possible. Angela received the SFCC Transfer Scholarship and the Soaring Eagles Scholarship, and both were critical. “Without those scholarships, I wouldn’t have been able to take unpaid internships,” she says. “They gave me the freedom to focus on gaining experience instead of picking up extra shifts. That made all the difference.” She saw classmates struggle to balance jobs and school, and some missed out on the internships that helped her launch her career.

Angela doesn’t take that opportunity for granted. “When donors give to scholarships, they’re not just helping students get through school, they’re investing in people who want to improve their communities,” she says. “Those scholarships didn’t just help me; they helped me step into a role where I can give back.”

**Join us in building a future for hardworking students. Visit EWU/GIVE to learn about some of the many ways you can help.