Devin Lawson is on the road to lifelong learning. The Licking Heights senior earned a full-ride scholarship to University of Chicago through the QuestBridge National College Match program, which provides high-achieving students with access to top colleges and universities.

“When I found out I got the scholarship, I was completely in shock. I was shaking for the next 35 minutes at least,” Lawson laughs. “It was a Friday and my mom was picking me up from school, and we just pulled into a parking space and opened the email from QuestBridge because we couldn’t wait.”

QuestBridge offers multiple different programs that connect students to prestigious colleges and universities, including National College Match and College Prep Scholars. Lawson participated in both programs over his junior and senior year, and credits College Prep Scholars for helping him stand out on his college applications.

According to QuestBridge, “The College Prep Scholars Program equips high-achieving high school juniors from low-income backgrounds with the knowledge, confidence, and resources to apply to top colleges.” This includes summer workshops, college admissions conferences, awards to cover education expenses and campus visits.

Students who receive National College Match scholarships have all of their expenses covered, including tuition and fees, housing and food, travel expenses and books. No student loans or family contributions are needed.

Lawson currently takes a course load of Advanced Placement classes and says some of his favorites include English language, government and European history. Outside of the classroom, he is the captain of the Quiz Bowl team, plays marimba with the Marching Hornets and Wind Ensemble, is a member of National Honor Society, serves as a Stage Manager for the theatre program, and plays in the Licking County 4H Band.

Lawson’s passion is political science and environmental studies, an interest that started while watching the presidential primary debates in 2019. He hopes to study politics in college and then attend law school to become an environmental lawyer. University of Chicago appealed to him because of their outstanding political science program and reputation of placing students in graduate programs.

“I really like their culture of intellectual curiosity,” he says. “It seems like a place where a lot of people go because they really want to learn about a lot of different things. I want to be a more balanced person.”

Lawson recommends that other students participate in College Prep Scholars and apply through the National College Match program, particularly first-generation and low-income students.

“Going to college out-of-state has always been the dream,” Lawson says. “I’m excited for a completely fresh start and I can’t wait to meet the three million people of Chicago. There are tons of amazing people I can meet and experiences I can have because of this scholarship.”