Bre Luca

When I was four years old, my father was in a severe car accident and suffered permanent brain damage. He was unable to work due to his injuries, and as a single-parent, he moved us in with his mom, my grandmother. He suffered from seizures and, unfortunately, died when I was only nine years old. Yet, he was my biggest inspiration. He always made me laugh and pushed me to work harder and smarter, values my grandmother continued to instill in me after he passed.

Being a first generation college student has been difficult. It can sometimes feel lonely when I don’t know who I can turn to for advice or help. I’m so fortunate to have such a wonderful scholarship advisor, Jenny Osborn, who has been an incredible mentor on this journey.

I always knew I would study medicine. In addition to my father’s health, both my grandparents had cancer. Because of this, and my love of working with kids, I decided to study pediatric oncology. Interacting with kids makes me feel like I am being my most genuine self, and I have the will and personality to make their difficult journeys just a little bit better.

Receiving scholarships has forever changed my life. I always wanted to go to Ohio State, but it was a little expensive for my family. Though we started saving up for college early on but no matter what we did, it was never quite enough. Only by receiving scholarships have I been able to pursue my dreams. If I could tell my ten-year-old self that I made it to Ohio State and I am actually pursuing my dream career, I think she would faint!

My dad was my biggest inspiration to pursue higher education. - Bre Luca

I was so fortunate to meet my scholarship donor and begin to build a relationship with her. She gets almost as much excitement from contacting me as I do with her. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and it has made me feel extremely grateful for this possibility. Donors truly change lives, and thanks to people like her (and you!), I have a whole new outlook on life that I will never take for granted. From the bottom of my heart: thank you!

Bre Luca