Like many of her classmates, high school senior Shanya Robinson-Owens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been preparing to take on the next phase of her education: college.
So far, the 17-year-old has applied to over 20 colleges and universities. But unlike her peers, what sets Shanya apart is the amount of scholarship money she has been offered.
And we’re not just talking about thousands of dollars here; we’re talking over a million dollars in scholarship money!
Shanya has been accepted into 18 schools, including Moravian College (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania); La Salle University (Philadelphia); Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri); Temple University (Philadelphia); and Cabrini University (Radnor, Pennsylvania), among others.
The teen—who is currently attending George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science—has always been a star student.
Her aunt, Christine Owens, told Good Morning America that their family always knew she wasn’t going to have any problem getting into colleges. Still, they didn’t expect her to be awarded that much money in scholarship funds.
“We’re not surprised she did get into all of the schools, we’re just surprised by the amount of financial award letters she’s been receiving,” Christine said. “I’ve just been keeping track of all of the acceptances and prizes she’s been giving, and it’s just adding up day by day.”
And as for Shanya, she’s pretty thrilled about it as well.
“I was pretty excited,” she said. “I wasn’t really expecting it.”
“It was kind of a surprise. I was really shocked,” she told 6abc Philadelphia. “I didn’t know what to do, if I would cry, laugh, I didn’t know what to do.”
The teen’s family is tracking her progress and scholarship packages, even creating the hashtag #KeepingUpWithNya.
Shanya’s favorite subject is chemistry. This active student is involved in a journalism class and the yearbook committee. She also interns for her Chinese language teacher and assists in grading papers.
Despite having a lot on her plate, Shanya currently has a 3.2 grade point average.
When she’s not in school, Shanya likes to write and listen to music.
Her advice to fellow students?
“You really have to be patient,” she said. “Stay focused. If you need to have some time away, it’s OK. You can tell your teachers that because they know you’re stressed.”
Shanya’s family has always been proud of her for being a hard worker and a fantastic leader.
“We’ve always been extremely proud of her,” Christine said. “My mother has helped raise Shanya since she was a baby. We’ve just been working as a team making sure Shanya keeps God first in anything she does and she is succeeding.”
Courtesy of Christine Owens
Ted Domers, the principal at George Washington Carver, said that Shanya is an esteemed student at the school.
Shanya is part of a movement to bring more social action to the school. She is also involved in several extracurricular activities that show the extent of her skills, including robotics.
“It is a privilege for us to count Shanya as one of our own and we are excited to see her create opportunities for her future,” the principal said.
Shanya is set to graduate high school in June. She’s still in the process of touring colleges and remains undecided on her first pick, but she plans to major in psychology.
“I don’t want to base it off money and then I don’t like the school and not finish,” she told CNN.
What’s clear, though, is that she has a very bright future ahead of her.
You can watch Sanya’s interview with 6abc Philadelphia in the video below.
We hope that this bright young woman finds the school best suited for her. Good luck to you, Shanya!
Please share this with your family and friends to inspire other young students.