Drewnard J. Woods received the Nosotti and Snyder International Business Scholarship in the SIU College of Business. Woods is a sophomore from Chicago, Illinois, specializing in business management.

Why did you choose SIU? I’m very outdoorsy and enjoy going on adventures with my friends. After doing research online, and after my school visit, I knew that southern Illinois would have a lot of these things to offer.

How did you feel when you received notification that you received the scholarship? I felt very excited. Going to school and working two jobs to try to make ends meet can be very frustrating at times, and that extra money helped out in a big way.

What does the scholarship mean to you and how has it enabled you to pursue your goals? What this scholarship meant to me was to keep on pushing through even when times get hard. I have desire and passion for the career I plan to take on, and with that I know I can succeed.

What inspired you to choose your area of study? My family owns a few businesses. Growing up and watching my father handle them all motivated me to be just like him, if not better.

What achievement in your life are you most proud of? My proudest achievement was having the courage to enlist in the United States Air Force and serving our great country!

Do you have a message you would like shared with your donor? I am honored to be the recipient of the Nosotti and Snyder International Business Scholarship. Thanks to your generous support, I am the first in my family to attend college.

Hear more from scholarship donors and recipients from our SIU Academic Scholarship Brunch in this video.