The Leadership Howard County (LHC) Endowment at Howard Community College provides scholarship funds to students who incorporate community service in their curriculum and demonstrate the ideals of service to others. Herman Chenwi and Beth Evans are two students who exemplify the goals of the LHC endowment. Despite heavy course loads and family obligations, both are preparing for careers in the medical field while finding time to reach out and help others.

Chenwi, a native of Cameroon, arrived in the U.S. through a visa lottery. He enrolled in HCC’s pre-med program, graduated in 2014 and was the keynote speaker at graduation. He will go on to full-time medical studies at UMBC.

HCC President Kate Hetherington said Chenwi’s willingness to help others on campus was unparalleled. He participated in alternative break trips to Michigan, New Jersey and the Dominican Republic, assisting on Habitat for Humanity projects. He also served as a volunteer tax preparer, a peer mentor and a scribe for students with disabilities while playing on the college soccer team. “He’s always trying to help others, and his focus is not on himself, it’s on others,” she said.

Beth Evans has been working toward acceptance into HCC’s new Physical Therapy Assistant Program while juggling child care and home responsibilities. In addition to her studies, she works as an associate in the Counseling and Career Services office at the college and is a peer mentor for Career Links, which supports single parents and displaced homemakers to successfully complete their degree or transfer to a four-year college.

Helping these students inspires Evans. She said, “Nothing is more rewarding than the idea of helping others achieve their goals, whether it is fellow students, as a physical therapy assistant or simply serving a basic need such as food and promoting the education of young people.”

Evans also volunteers for the Black Student Achievement Program, at the Elizabeth’s House in Laurel and at the Baha’is of Howard County. She is also planning to form a student Baha’i Peace Club at HCC.

“I am very grateful for the generous scholarship from Leadership Howard County,” said Evans. “Without scholarships, I do not know how I would realize my dreams.”