Ashyna is a devoted mother to her 10-year-old daughter and has turned serious health challenges into a renewed sense of purpose. After experiencing a life-threatening illness that required hospitalization and life-saving medication, Ashyna moved in with her mother and stepfather and arranged for her daughter to temporarily live with her father so she could stabilize her health and circumstances. This experience clarified what matters most: her family, her passion, and her purpose.
Ashyna is now pursuing a degree in strategic communication at Old Dominion University with plans to graduate in the summer of 2026. Her coursework in media writing, organizational communication, public crisis communication, and persuasion has given her practical tools in public relations, and nonprofit strategy. Currently serving part time with AmeriCorps as a community health educator, she is gaining valuable experience in advocacy, outreach, and community engagement.
Ashyna’s long-term goal is to start a literacy nonprofit for women and girls offering free reading support, writing workshops, and enriching educational activities. She plans to use this grant to help pay for tuition and other educational costs so she can complete her degree. She is described as resilient, deeply committed to helping others, and someone who always puts other people before herself.