When I graduated from high school right here in Montevallo in 2014, I went to Chipola College and earned an associate’s degree in fine arts. I then became a jeweler in Hoover. Though I crafted beautiful custom pieces, I wondered what my life would have been like if I went to a four-year institution.
Austin Spears
When the pandemic occurred, I was furloughed. Though I needed the money, this was an opportunity to go back to school. I saw accountants remain employed during the pandemic and that became my dream – to be an accountant.
I enrolled at UM on a Transfer Student Academic Scholarship so I could become a certified public accountant.
I’m currently president of Phi Chi Theta professional co-ed business fraternity, an active volunteer staff for the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce and an intern at the tax firm Jackson, Howard & Whatley in Vestavia Hills. I’m loving it. I wouldn’t been able to pursue my dream without the financial assistance I received in scholarships. And I’m grateful for the donors who’ve made it possible. Thank you!
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