A Head Start

As soon as Olivia Kerby began her freshman year of high school, she was told she needed to start thinking about college. However, she was concerned about how she was going to afford paying for tuition as well as finding a college that fit her needs. Kerby soon found out about the PACE (Partnership for College Education) offered at her high school and was accepted into the program.

“From day one of being a part of PACE, I felt the support and encouragement I needed to not only finish high school but to pursue higher education,” said Kerby. 

PACE advisors and mentors met regularly with Kerby and taught her how to manage her grades and suggested she participate in extracurricular activities. She credits the PACE program leaders for encouraging her to enroll in concurrent enrollment classes through Salt Lake Community College her senior year of high school.

“Taking concurrent enrollment classes gave me a head start on college, which eventually led to me earning a degree one year later,” said Kerby. “All the tuition was paid because of the PACE and Bruin Scholars’ scholarships.”

In 2022, Kerby earned an associate’s degree in theatre arts at the age of 19, only one year after she graduated high school. She will soon be leaving on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

“I’m grateful for the many donors who made all of this possible,” said Kerby. “I would not be where I am today without the support the scholarships and programs provided me.”