Palmyra woman earns two-year full-tuition scholarship as winner of Career Makeover contest

April 8, 2022 | By Muddy River News

Sarah Bramblett received a check last month to cover the cost of earning her associate's degree at JWCC as the winner of the Career Makeover contest. Pictured from left are Kristen Ritterbusch, JWCC director of admissions; Bramblett; Natalie Will from WGEM; and Barbara Holthaus, JWCC Foundation executive director. | Photo courtesy of John Wood Community College

PALMYRA, Mo. — Sarah Bramblett of Palmyra, MO, who won this year’s Career Makeover competition, sponsored by the John Wood Community College Foundation and WGEM.

Bramblett emerged from a field of more than 40 applicants to earn a two-year, full-tuition scholarship, also covering books and fees, to pursue an associate degree at JWCC.

Bramblett currently oversees group programs for mental health and substance use disorders at Preferred Family Healthcare in Hannibal. She wants to build on her 15-plus years in human services and plans to earn a degree and stay in the field she’s passionate about.

“It will allow me to be able to move up positions here at Preferred and hopefully pursue some counseling and be able to work with clients more one-on-one,” Bramblett said in a press release.

Bramblett, 39, has spent the last 20 years raising her family. She says now is the right time to start college.

“I think just a combination of the support of the people around me is a big factor,” she said. “I’m getting to the point where I know I want to continue doing more in this field, and to do that, I do need the education to be able to open those doors.”

Christina Gawedzinksi, Bramblett’s supervisor at Preferred Family, encouraged her to apply for the Career Makeover contest. She said Bramblett has the drive and passion to go far.

“She is very organized and very person-centered. She does a lot of for us here with our clients. She is very compassionate and endearing with some of our more challenging clients,” Gawedzinski said in the press release.

Bramblett is improving herself to help others.

“There is always something to learn. I really enjoy seeing people growing, knowing that something I may have done or even had a very small part in has made a difference for someone else,” she said.

Runners-up in the competition were Keith Andrews and Amie Malone. Each will receive a $500 JWCC scholarship for the 2022-23 academic year.

The JWCC Foundation began in 1984 to advance the college’s mission and create educational opportunities through giving. The foundation awards more than $150,000 in private scholarships to JWCC students each year and supports multiple programs and capital projects for the college.