Anthony Belliamy Memorial Scholarship for Students in STEAM

My name is Wilda-Cassandra Tany, and I am a nursing student, a mother, a survivor, and a woman of faith. Every chapter of my life has shaped my desire to serve others with compassion and purpose. As a single mother raising a child on the autism spectrum, I have learned the value of patience, advocacy, and understanding. My personal experiences have not only strengthened me but have also inspired me to give back to my community with the same grace that carried me through my own trials. One of the most meaningful ways I have made a positive impact in my community has been through my role as the President of the Parent-Teacher Organization at Colbert Museum Magnet Elementary School. I work closely with parents, teachers, and administrators to create opportunities for families to come together and for children to thrive. From organizing the Enchanted Family Dance to coordinating our Fall Festival and community outreach programs, I strive to build a sense of unity and joy for families who often face the same challenges I do as a parent. Seeing the smiles of children and hearing the laughter of parents who can momentarily forget their struggles reminds me why service matters. My journey as a survivor of domestic violence also fuels my passion for servitude. I understand what it means to feel unseen, unheard, broken, betrayed. The Man I thought loved me poisoned me to kill my unborn child. Raped me and verbally abused me every chance he got. Today, I use my story to empower women through faith-based events like the “It Happened to Me” Women’s Conference, where I speak about hope, healing, and purpose. Serving in ministry has shown me that even the pain we once hid can become a source of light for someone else. I believe that true leadership begins with humility and a heart willing to serve. Beyond my roles in school and ministry, I volunteer with community organizations that provide resources to families in need, helping with food drives, clothing donations, and youth mentoring. I have learned that service is not always about grand gestures; sometimes it’s about showing up, listening, and offering love without judgment. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, contributes to the healing and growth of our community. My faith has always guided my service. I believe God calls us to be the hands and feet of His work on Earth, and nursing allows me to live out that calling in both spiritual and practical ways. Whether I am serving in a classroom, a church, or a hospital, my goal is to make every person I encounter feel valued and cared for. Receiving this scholarship would help me continue my education and strengthen my ability to serve others through nursing. My heart for service was born out of adversity, but it continues to grow through gratitude and purpose. I am committed to using my life and my career to uplift others, to lead with compassion, and to serve with excellence in everything I do.

I grew up in a rural part of North Carolina. My community had few resources, limited opportunities, and strong expectations about who you could be. I am a Black Caribbean student, and I faced a lot of pressure to adjust myself to fit the beliefs around me. People made quick assumptions about my interests, my potential, and my identity. It was hard to stay grounded. I wanted to do well in school and build a future in science, but I spent a long time trying to move through other people’s expectations instead of my own goals. The most difficult point came during my first year of high school. My confidence dropped, my grades fell, and I struggled to see a path forward. I felt stuck. I did not know how to ask for help or who I could trust. I wanted to study medicine, but the gap between what I hoped for and what I saw around me felt huge. Many people told me to aim lower or choose something easier. I carried those comments for a long time. I changed things step by step. I joined the National FFA Organization and started volunteering at food banks during Thanksgiving and Christmas. These experiences helped me realize that I could make a tangible contribution to my community. I also began to study more seriously. I focused on chemistry and biology because they made sense to me and gave me something steady to hold on to. I worked with my teachers, rebuilt my study habits, and pushed my GPA up. I learned how to take ownership of my path even when my environment made it hard. During college, the challenge took a different form. I became a crisis text line volunteer. I helped people work through fear, loneliness, and emergencies. I learned how to stay calm and ask clear questions under pressure. I saw how health problems grow worse when people lack support. This experience changed my view of medicine. I no longer saw healthcare as a list of treatments. I observed the entire system and the way people navigate it during their most vulnerable moments. I also joined research. I studied PFAS binding to human plasma in computational chemistry. Later, I began environmental and geological research at ECU, which involved collecting and analyzing water samples. Now I want to work in cancer epigenetics. My interest in oncology grew from my own experiences with limited access and resilience. Cancer care demands precision, patience, and innovation. Many communities like mine face real gaps in access to prevention and treatment. I want to close those gaps by creating better tools and helping patients navigate complex systems. The biggest lesson I've learned from my challenges is that support truly matters. A single mentor, a clear study plan, or a small opportunity can make a significant difference. I had to learn how to build those supports on my own at first. Now I use that understanding to guide my goals. I want to become a physician who can see both the science and the lived realities of the patients in front of me. I want to work in oncology because cancer affects every part of a person’s life and demands both scientific skill and empathy. My early challenges shaped my drive and my purpose. They taught me to set my own direction, stay consistent, and work toward a career that can improve lives through science and patient care.