It wasn’t until Zaruba volunteered at her local hospital that something clicked. She connected with many people in the physical therapy clinic, who encouraged her to explore the medical field. “The medical field has always been in the back of my mind,” Zaruba said. “Volunteering showed me how health care is a welcoming community, and I began to see myself working in it.”

She applied to UNK because it’s the school her family attended. “When I started receiving scholarships, I was getting really excited about Kearney,” Zaruba said. “I decided to visit campus and realized I loved the people, the faculty and the community.”

Zaruba has no specific major outlined but is on the pre-med track. Without scholarships, Zaruba wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the many programs offered at the College of Arts and Sciences. “Thanks to my scholarships and donors, it was amazing knowing I would not have to pay a dime,” Zaruba said.

Zaruba plans on attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center to eventually become a doctor. “Without donor support, I would not be at UNK studying what I truly want to do,” Zaruba said.

During this process, Zaruba learned to be patient because it is okay not to have your whole life planned out. People’s plans change every day, every hour and every minute.

To see more students like Isabel Zaruba succeed, consider making a gift of any amount to the UNK Fund – Student Scholarships.