It was a pretty special day when the Foundation team sat down to chat with Amanda Wanker: she had just been awarded a scholarship that afternoon.

“A scholarship is having someone say, ‘I see you, I see your potential, and I want to support you,’” Amanda said. “I know I’m doing well, but a scholarship is having someone come alongside you and say that they believe in you and want to support you financially.”

Amanda applied to the Foundation's 100+ scholarships this winter to help fund her second year at Spokane Falls Community College. She’s currently in the Addiction Studies program and graduates with her Associates in June of 2025. From there, she plans to stay at the Falls and pursue the Bachelor of Applied Science in Integrated Behavioral Health. It’s a program she’s passionate about because of her community work and advocacy for women’s recovery. She calls that work “building community,” a value true to our hearts at the Foundation. Integrated Behavioral Health is also important to her after she herself went through substance use disorder nearly 20 years ago after her first time at SFCC. She’s now been in recovery for 15 years!

In 2005, Amanda signed up study journalism at the Falls. She couldn’t get financial aid at the time, so she decided to become a medic in the army instead. However, she had begun struggling with drug and alcohol use, which led to missing classes. A DUI left her unable to pursue her plans in the military and her time away from classes left her with a low GPA, so Amanda decided it was time to leave school.

After being in long term recovery, she still dealt with shame around the situation for years.

“Keeping that secret made it so I couldn’t really heal,” Amanda explained.

One day she shared her story with a group of women and felt that shame after she shared; but the women were supportive of her.

“They told me to keep sharing my story because people need to hear it.”

Amanda has worked hard this last year. She got her old grades forgiven, she’s worked at the business she and her husband own, and she’s been a caretaker to her 17-year-old son, all while taking classes.

“My son graduates the year after me, and I hope he’ll go to the Falls with me. I hope he’ll be inspired to know that it’s never too late to do hard things.”

It will mean so much to her husband and son to see her earn her degree, but it will also mean so much to Amanda.

“It’s that full circle moment. What was meant to destroy me was turned to something good.”

Now, she’s going to graduate 20 years after her first try at school. Talk about pretty special.

You can encourage students like Amanda, who are making their futures possible through determination and hope, by giving online.