My background in business has provided me with excellent people & communication skills. While working towards my degree in Business Management at Penn State, I also spend a lot of time working with children from various ages. My work experience varies from previously working at Applebee’s and even as an Administrative Assistant. I believe getting myself into all these different environments will help shape me into the successful entrepreneur I hope to be. Further more, singing has also had a huge impact on my life, & music is my muse that keeps me motivated. I’m working towards my goals, in hopes that the next time you hear from me I’ll be one step closer to finding a way to incorporate my passion for music, & my ongoing knowledge for business, in one.

Kendra Dena’e Battle is the daughter of Kendale Battle and Deanna Mills. She was born July 12, 1999 in Rocky Mount, NC. In May of 2017, she graduated as Salutatorian from Roanoke Valley Early College with her high school diploma and an Associate’s Degree in Art from Halifax Community College. Kendra was a member of the National Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa organizations, along with being a cheerleader and an active volunteer throughout her high school years. She was accepted to North Carolina State University, where she is now a student majoring in Zoology, with the intent of becoming a veterinarian for exotic animals. Through many years of determination, Kendra received the Ethel Crawley Memorial Scholarship, which is a full scholarship to any accredited university in the state of North Carolina, and also received the West Foundation Scholarship. Kendra’s interests are cheerleading, reading, swimming, and shopping. In her spare time, she cares for animals by volunteering at animal clinics and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

My name is Malik Williams, I was born and raised in Hollister, NC, and I am one of the recipients of the 2017 West Foundation scholarship. Growing up as a child I always knew that I was destined to go to college and be successful for my family. I always had a passion for fixing things, so the first thing to come to my mind was being an engineer. That's when I came to the conclusion that I was going to school for Mechanical Engineering. By me choosing that career path I wanted to choose the best school for me to be successful at. I had many of choices but I felt most at home at North Carolina A&T State University. This scholarship helped me out quite a bit with items such as books and classroom items. I am happy that I was selected to be a winner for the scholarship and I am looking forward to applying again the upcoming year.

Hello! My name is Destini Kasha Jones and I am a 19 year old sophomore at East Carolina University. I am a Birth through Kindergarten Teacher Education major with hopes to add on Elementary Education after graduation. When I graduate from college I plan on starting my career as a Kindergarten Teacher while working on my Master’s Degree in Graduate School. I am a member of my school’s Student Activities Board (Promotion and Entertainment) and am currently interning to be the Event Manager for the board. Aside from school you can usually find me with my nose in a book or working on dance choreography, which is a passion of mine that I am pursuing. I also enjoy writing poetry, researching world issues, and listening to music (typically of all genres). I am eternally grateful to the West Foundation for rewarding me with this scholarship and look forward to being able to take part in any opportunities in the future, thank you!

I'm Yania Ni'Shea Mills from Warren County, NC. I am the daughter of Yateme T. Mills and Shelton J. Richardson. Currently a senior at Warren County High School, I am an actively involved in numerous clubs. I am a member of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA Club), Robotics Team #6240, Yearbook Club and the Title VII - Native American program. I have been a student in the nursing program since 9th grade and currently practicing clinical studies at Magnolia Gardens of Warrenton (an assisted living facility), Warren Hills Nursing Center, both located in Warrenton, NC and Mariah Parham Center located in Henderson, NC . In the Fall, I plan to attend Nash Community College and major in Radiology. A quote I will share that motivates me to continue to do my best in my studies and life - "The best way to predict the future is to create it" by Abraham Lincoln.

My background in business has provided me with excellent people & communication skills. While working towards my degree in Business Management at Penn State, I also spend a lot of time working with children from various ages. My work experience varies from previously working at Applebee’s and even as an Administrative Assistant. I believe getting myself into all these different environments will help shape me into the successful entrepreneur I hope to be. Further more, singing has also had a huge impact on my life, & music is my muse that keeps me motivated. I’m working towards my goals, in hopes that the next time you hear from me I’ll be one step closer to finding a way to incorporate my passion for music, & my ongoing knowledge for business, in one.