"The best motivation in life is knowing what you're fighting for." - Cat Zingano
When Cat was in her early twenties and attending college, her mother was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. Her declining health was very difficult on Cat’s family, and when she passed in 2005, Cat had a lot to work through, making it difficult to focus on her education. Less than a year later, Cat’s son was born. Raising a newborn and going to school after recently losing her mom, Cat needed help and remains truly grateful for all support and resources that were made available to her.
After school and finding much success in her early MMA career, Cat suffered another tragic loss. When her husband, who had helped guide her career, died in 2014, it was devastating and a very unexpected adjustment. He was a husband, employer, father and coach. Nothing has been the same for Cat and her son since that loss. They continue to feel the struggle, and the familial change still forces them to make accommodations every day. Just as Cat did after losing her mom, her and her son have no choice but to adapt and move forward.
These tragedies have caused Cat to focus on what matters most in her life: raising her son. Whether in an MMA bout or facing daily challenges, she fights through to show him that one can't let hardship conquer their life and that a new normal can be obtained after tragedy.
Cat is an inspiration to many for the fight she displays in all aspects of her life. The Cat Zingano Overcoming Loss Scholarship will be awarded to a student who is fighting through their own loss of a close family member, legal guardian or loved one, and is in need of financial support for their education as they move forward.
How has the loss of a close family member or loved one caused you to focus on what matters most in your life and what you want to "fight" to achieve?
The application deadline is Jul 20, 2024. Winners will be announced on Aug 20, 2024.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Aug 20, 2024. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.