Evelyn Walters ’28 faced a tough decision as she considered where to begin her college journey in the fall of 2024. As the salutatorian of her high school class, she had several options, and St. Çï¿ûÊÓƵ was among her top three choices.
While she loved many things about the campus and community, affordability was constantly on her mind. Then, in December 2023, everything changed. A life-changing text message and phone call made her decision clear, and her path to St. Ambrose became an easy choice.
“I knew that, since I got a text and a call, that it was good news,” Walter’s recalls. “Both my parents work at my high school, so I went to my dad's office, and I answered the call.”
The call was from St. Çï¿ûÊÓƵ. Walters learned she won the Ambrose Scholars Award, earning full tuition to attend SAU.
“I was so excited, and I knew that I was going to come here after that. It was a sign.”
She won the award after attending a Scholars Day visit event at St. Ambrose. At these events, students with an unweighted GPA of 3.25 or higher are invited to the university to be recognized for their successes in academics, service to others, and leadership. They also have the chance to earn a scholarship – up to a full-ride for four years – based on interviews with university faculty and staff.
“My interviewers were really awesome. It didn't feel like an interview while I was doing it. It felt like we were just talking.”
When she was originally invited to Scholars Day, Walters wasn’t sure it was worth her time. She had visited campus as a high school junior; her father is a 2002 graduate of the Master of Social Work Program; and her sister graduated in May 2024. Walters thought she knew everything St. Ambrose had to offer.
She says winning the scholarship was great, but beyond that, the event gave her insight into what daily life at St. Ambrose would look like.
“If you're thinking about coming to St Ambrose, it definitely will push you in the direction of going. Being with all the staff and seeing how friendly it is, that's how it is here year-round. It's not just because you're going to a Scholarship Day. It really shows you what Ambrose is.”