NORTHERN TODAY 6 FALL 2022 News | NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSI TY Scholarships play important role in college choice for NSU student F OR NORTHERN State University student Elly Smith, scholarships played an important role in her decision to attend college far from home. “It made it easier, and made my parents and myself more confident in the choice that I was making, knowing that they obviously wanted me,” said Smith, a junior from Centennial, Colo. “It definitely made everyone in my family a little more comfortable with sending me out of state and helping me decide where to go.” Smith, a catcher on the NSU Wolves Softball Team, is majoring in human performance and fitness with a minor in coaching and music. She is a recipient of the NSU Softball Scholarship, and she also received a scholarship from the music department her freshman year. Originally from the Denver area, Smith said she was used to city life before coming to Northern. “When I came up to Aberdeen, the small community was definitely a cultural shock at first, but then I learned to actually love it, and I do like the small-town feel,” she said. “One of the things I love most about Northern is the fact that it’s in that small-town community, but it’s not a small campus. It’s just the right size of being big, but not too big.” Smith, who plays tuba in the NSU Wind Ensemble, also loves the fact that she was able to pursue athletics and music at Northern. “At a bigger school, it would be a lot tougher to balance both,” she said. Smith said being a member of the softball team was her primary reason for choosing Northern. “It feels good to put so much work into something and be told that you’re wanted for that,” she said. “To justify all the hard work that you’ve done.” But once she knew Northern wanted her, she asked herself: “Do I want it?” The answer was clear after her first visit—the feel of the school and the size of campus made it a place she could picture herself in. “If I hadn’t played softball, and I had known about Northern, it would still be a contender for a school that I would go to without softball,” she said. Smith said she’s grateful for donors who make scholarships like hers possible. While she’s fortunate that she’s never had to question whether she could afford college, scholarships provide an extra benefit and incentive when choosing a university. “I think it’s very important that every athlete gets the opportunity to go to school if they choose to, and more importantly feel like they were wanted, and that’s part of what that scholarship shows,” Smith said. “And I think that helps push them to do their best in school and do their best in their sport, knowing that they have that.” “One of the things “ I love most about Northern is the fact that it’s in that smalltown community, but it’s not a small campus. It’s just the right size of being big, but not too big.” ”
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