A scholarship can give a student more time, focus, and flexibility to keep moving toward a meaningful goal. For Alima Tambwe, support from the 2026 Believe in Me Scholarship helps her continue studying biology on a pre-med track while preparing for a future in health care.

Alima is entering her third year of study with intended minors in psychology and chemistry. She is also balancing work as a registered behavior technician for a nearby client and as a delivery driver for her college mailing center. Her scholarship helps make that demanding schedule more manageable.

In her own words, Alima wrote, “Believe In Me, makes it possible to follow my academic pursue and focus more on my future career.”

Alima’s academic interests are rooted in science and shaped by her curiosity about people, culture, and community. As she moves into upper-level STEM courses, she is balancing lab work, major requirements, paid employment, extracurricular commitments, transportation, meals, housing, and academic planning.

A scholarship can help protect the time and attention students need to stay enrolled and engaged. It can also help make opportunities such as study abroad more attainable.

Alima is planning to study abroad in Trinidad and Tobago with peers and faculty, an experience that would broaden her understanding of culture, history, and community. To stay on track for that opportunity and her degree requirements, she also needs to complete J-term classes that support her major and intended minors.

Believe in Me’s scholarship program supports education-bound young people age 24 and younger who are continuing into eligible college, career, trade, or certificate programs in Washington, Oregon, or eligible Northern Idaho counties. Awards are paid directly to institutions for approved cost-of-attendance expenses, according to the current Believe in Me Scholarship Program.