Jones heading to Taiwan thanks to FEA scholarship

"For years, I watched the same YouTube video of the Chinese Flagship program at UNG and thought, 'I can't wait to get there.' Last year a new video was posted, and I am in it. I can literally see myself," Jones said.

Jones, a junior, said the FEA scholarship is "extremely competitive," adding that she "won that by the grace of God" and support and encouragement from Dr. Victoria Hightower, associate director of the Nationally Competitive Scholarships (NCS) office.

"Dr. Hightower was such a blessing. I reached out to her because I was nervous, and she helped prepare me by giving me a mock interview," Jones said. "I ended up doing well. I got help and became excited about the process."

Jones remembered the encouraging words "remember who you are" spoken by her mother, and her nervousness vanished as she began her official interview. The meeting lasted almost three times the allotted time. Jones said that she would use the feedback from the conversation.

Her original goal was to become a marine biologist, but due to a lack of representation of Black women in the field, she grew fearful and changed her mind.

"When I decided to pursue a degree in East Asian studies, I was determined that even if I didn't see anybody who looked like me, I would be the person who I wanted to see," she said. "I had to follow this dream with no one I could look up to or follow behind. Receiving this scholarship is life-changing."

The Macon, Georgia, resident shared that she had struggled financially to pay for her degree. She learned that there's a limit as to how much financial aid can be offered to a student. For roughly eight and a half years she took two classes per year, all paid out of pocket.

"There have been struggles along the way, but I feel very blessed for being awarded scholarships, including the Women's Educational Scholarship. I didn't expect that at all," she said.

Jones' achievements have not gone unnoticed by the NCS team, which has provided encouragement, support and enthusiasm.

"Keke's academic journey reflects resilience, determination and a deep commitment to learning. As a nontraditional student, she has balanced significant responsibilities while excelling academically, and the FEA scholarship will meaningfully support her continued growth as a global learner," Dr. Brittany Barron, NCS coordinator, said.

Hightower encourages students to learn more about FEA and its possibilities.

"The Fund for Education Abroad is a great scholarship for students with financial need or on student loans. The application is straightforward, and NCS is here to help you craft your story effectively," Hightower said.

FEA continues to increase access to international education with the award of more than $343,500 in scholarships and funding to 74 undergraduate students for study abroad in spring 2026. With this new cohort, a total of 1,443 students with financial need have benefited from more than $4.9 million in scholarships granted since FEA's inception in 2010.