Megan Scott always knew that she wanted to further her education at the college level, but she wasn’t sure how to afford it with her husband beginning a career in the Air Force. She’s not alone. A recent study conducted by the Institute for Higher Education Policy found that the vast majority of U.S. schools are unaffordable for most students. 

Fortunately for Megan, shortly after her husband joined the Air Force, she learned about RCBC’s Military Spouse Scholarship, a program that provides tuition-free credit courses to spouses of Active Duty and Activated Guard and Reserve personnel. With the help of RCBC’s Military Education and Veteran Services staff, Mike Gentry and Jennifer George, Megan learned all she needed to know about the program and eventually earned the scholarship. 

With the weight of tuition costs lifted from her shoulders, Scott dove into her studies and formed a lasting relationship with RCBC Chemistry professor, Terry Sherlock. Sherlock, known for his interactive teaching style, made quite the impression on an initially-reluctant Scott. 

“His teaching style made the class interesting, fun, and he made it a point to demonstrate how chemistry is applied every day in the ‘real world,’” Megan said. “Sherlock also provided me the opportunity to participate in the Student Research Program, where I was challenged to examine the structure-activity relationship between opiates and heroin. This was an amazing opportunity for me to dive into medicine and be challenged to discern how pharmacophores, agonists/antagonists, and functional groups determine drug absorption and ultimately affect a patient.”

Scott completed her prerequisite courses with RCBC in May 2018 and successfully passed the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). The real-world applicability of her education at RCBC prepared her well for the next step in her career path: studying at the Medical University of South Carolina. 

“Without the assistance of the Military Spouse Scholarship, Military Education staff, and Professor Sherlock, I would not have had the opportunity to further my education and chase my dream of serving the community through pharmacy,” Megan said. 

Megan's story is part of RCBC’s 50 stories for 50 years. In honor of the college’s 50th anniversary, RCBC is profiling students, faculty, administrators, alumni and the college community. Anyone interested in being featured can contact rcbcnews@rcbc.edu. To follow along on social media, use #RCBC50Stories.