Like strong vines supporting vibrant blossoms, personal and community resilience have been entwined throughout Nalisha Henry’s life. Her mother was raising Nalisha and her two siblings alone when she went back to school to get an associate degree, creating a better future for herself and her children. Her individual strength was augmented by the public assistance that made it possible for the family to live on her part-time salary while she attended class.
While in high school, Nalisha participated in Furman University’s Bridges to a Brighter Future program, which helps students whose potential exceeds their circumstances find the right college, apply, enroll, and succeed through graduation. Nalisha says the program, which CFG has supported with grants through the years, prepared her well to get the most out of her time at Furman.
While there, she was grateful to be the recipient of the John I. Smith scholarship. Administered by the Community Foundation, the scholarship seeks to ease the financial burden of higher education for students residing in government-subsidized housing.
Nalisha, whose career since graduation has been dedicated to public service, says an individual’s resilience is often dependent on the network of support that surrounds them—family, friends, colleagues, and the broader community. It helps if people have a safety net, a system of resources they can get if they need them. Both in college and beyond, Nalisha has found the support she needed through her connections at Furman and throughout the Greenville community.