Senior Project Showcase: Taylor Autrey, Questa Scholar & 2020 Grad

Each year during my undergrad, I worked hard to complete projects and do the best I could. As a studio art major, almost more important to me than walking down the graduation stage was displaying my senior project in the art gallery at the University of Saint Francis. If I did not have the opportunity to showcase my work, it would have been disappointing and discouraging. My heart goes out to the graduates that were not able to show off their senior projects this year due to COVID-19. The dramatic shift from classroom to online learning provided challenges, and I wanted to give our Questa Scholars the platform to share their senior projects and be proud of their accomplishments.

Taylor Autrey with her son, Kaylor

Taylor Autrey became a Questa Scholar last year so she could receive the extra funding needed to complete her Master’s in Special Education and receive her special education licensure. She started her thesis project in June of 2019. It took her almost a year to complete.

During college, Taylor learned about “brain breaks”, short 2-5 minute physical activities, that are proven effective in teaching middle school students with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).

Taylor anonymously surveyed 40 licensed teachers at her school to find out the level of knowledge Fort Wayne Community School (FWCS) teachers had about SPD and using movement breaks as a tool.

As result, Taylor created an original handbook for teachers to learn how to use kinesthetic movement breaks in their classroom. The handbook includes information on SPD and simple activities that teachers can do with students to help them focus and learn.

Taylor’s senior thesis poster - View PDF version here

“I don’t see the disability in my students. I only see the ability of what they are able to do, and my job is to help them be successful. What I like most about special education is the small group work. I can build relationships with my students,” Taylor says.

This May, Taylor received her Master of Education from Purdue Fort Wayne and she plans to continue teaching special education for middle school students at FWCS.

Taylor said, “Honestly, if I would not have had the funding from Questa to finish my degree, I would have never finished it. I only needed a few classes to get certification to teach special education in the state of Indiana. Questa allowed me to take the extra classes that gave me the professional development I needed to be successful in my job.”

Stories like Taylor’s inspire me because it proves that Northeast Indiana is developing quality graduates. Caring, smart, passionate people like Taylor are who we need to develop our region and make our home a better place. Thanks for sharing your work, Taylor and congratulations on your graduation!

Post by Hillary Troup, Scholar & Marketing Specialist at Questa Education Foundation, graduate from the University of Saint Francis, Class of 2015.

Find out more about Questa’s programming at https://www.questafoundation.org/programs-overview

A special thank you to the AWS Foundation who made it possible to support students pursuing their Special Education licensure.

A Memorable Year: Celebrating the Class of 2020

Every year, seniors pick up their cap and gown and mark their calendars for the end of the semester. Though every year is memorable for our graduates, 2020 is one for the books. We want to take a minute to celebrate the hard work of our grads, acknowledge the challenges they’ve been through, and celebrate their successes. Congratulations Questa Scholar Class of 2020!

We are proud to announce the 2020 spring graduating class of Questa Scholars. This graduating class includes 71 students from Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, Noble, Steuben, Wabash and Whitley counties. These Questa Scholars have received their associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degrees in various fields including special education, biomedical engineering, criminal justice, computer science, graphic design, industrial technology, and various medical fields, among others. Questa Scholars receive low-interest forgivable loans that are up to 50% forgivable if they live and work in northeast Indiana for five years following graduation. An additional 25% of the total loan is paid back when they attend and graduate from one Questa’s regional partner institutions. In many cases, scholars are graduating with 75% of their Questa loan forgiven.

A special recognition goes out the class of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic caused drastic changes in their last semester. Seniors were not able to present final capstone projects, they missed walking across the graduation stage, postponed or cancelled graduation celebrations, and enter a challenging job market. However, the grit and flexibility demonstrated by these graduates makes them exceptional young professionals to retain in the region.

Congratulations to all of Questa’s recent graduates. View the names of the Questa Scholar 2020 graduating class here.

Visit our donation page to find out how you can support our mission, and help another student graduate with less debt.

A New Form for Employer Tuition Assistance: Partnering with Visiting Nurse

Fort Wayne Visiting Nurse Foundation has partnered with the Questa Education Foundation to provide an option for their employees to receive post-secondary education. The intent of this partnership is to create a sustainable training and education program for employees that offers continued education, improves the services provided and stabilizes the workforce to ensure continuity of quality services to Visiting Nurse clients.

“We are really looking forward to our partnership with Questa,” Visiting Nurse’s CEO, Leslie Friedel states, “Being able to offer the financial means for our team members to reach a higher education is something we are excited offer. Questa’s expertise in this area will be a great benefit to Visiting Nurse.”

Questa’s goals are to provide access to post-secondary education through a low-interest, forgivable loan that may pay for tuition, fees, books and education-related expenses. The partnership is meant to help eliminate a barrier for employees to pursue further education and get the training and skills they need for professional and personal development. Questa will forgive the loan amount based upon employees’ continued employment for two years after completion of classes.

"Our partnership to help Visiting Nurse employees enhance their skills through further education helps to strengthen the healthcare system in Northeast Indiana during this time of critical need,” says Elizabeth Bushnell, Executive Director of Questa. “These types of partnerships are critical to meeting the talent needs in the region.”

If you are interested in a partnership with the Questa Foundation, please contact Elizabeth Bushnell at 260-407-6494 ext. 105, or ebushnell@questafoundation.org. To learn more about Questa’s forgivable loan programs, visit www.questafoundation.org.

About Visiting Nurse: Visiting Nurse has cared for people with serious illnesses and their families in Northeast Indiana since 1888. Our interdisciplinary team of hospice and palliative care experts ensures that every patient is treated with dignity and respect. Visiting Nurse provides compassionate care to alleviate suffering and ensure quality of life for those affected by serious illness. We care for those who go on living as well.  Our grief services are available at no cost for any adult who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Hospice involvement is not required. We proudly serve the following Indiana counties: Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, Jay, Noble, Wabash, Wells and Whitley. For more information, visit: https://www.vnfw.org/

COVID-19 Virus Response

Through this unknown season of the COVID-19 or coronavirus outbreak, the Questa Education Foundation will continue to serve the Northeast Indiana region and our Questa Scholars as best we can. Serving our community in Northeast Indiana by investing in talent is our number one priority, and will continue to be so.

In light of this, Questa is currently open for business. However, the Questa staff will be working remotely and may not be available in person at Questa’s office location. If the office is closed, staff are available during normal business hours of 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Staff may be contacted through Questa’s main phone number at 260-407-6494 or by email at info@questafoundation.org as well as individual email addresses. Scholars can feel safe to make deposits, as staff will be checking the mailbox regularly, and payments will continue to be processed.

If any unforeseeable changes occur, we will notify the public through our website and social media channels. We encourage everyone to follow the state guidelines on staying healthy and safe.

To stay up to date on the virus, visit https://www.in.gov/coronavirus/ for updated statistics released by the Indiana State Department of Health.

Questa's Leadership Search Ends

Questa’s Leadership Search Ends

Elizabeth Bushnell announced as new Executive Director

Questa’s board of directors has announced Elizabeth (Liz) Bushnell as its new Executive Director. Liz will be responsible for Questa’s overall growth and strategic direction of the organization through continued strengthening of relationships within the 11 counties of Northeast Indiana.

The foundation’s search for a director began in November 2019, as Questa’s current executive director Marc Levy announced his retirement.

“We believe Liz will bring great leadership and experience through her knowledge of post-secondary education. She has the vision and passion to carry on the great work of the foundation. She comes highly recommended, and we are fortunate to have her be a part of Questa’s team.”

— Gary Adkins, Questa's Board Chair

Liz has spent the bulk of her career in higher education. At Manchester University since 2004, she has held varying roles including the Director of Career Services, Associate Dean for Planning & Assessment, and an Adjunct Instructor. In her most recent position as Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Bushnell lead strategic planning, assessment, research, grants and accreditation activities for the University. As a resident of Northeast Indiana for over 15 years, Liz has had opportunities to contribute to community development through volunteering at organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters as a College Success Mentor, a member of several committees with the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and various leadership roles with Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana.

Her professional and volunteer experiences have displayed her passion for helping young people realize their potential.

After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Political Science at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD, and her Master’s in Public Administration from Bowie State University, Liz moved on to Indiana State University to receive her PhD in Higher Education and Administration.

“Questa plays a pivotal role in talent development and retention in the region. I am very excited about the opportunity to join the Questa team and contribute to their important work helping students gain access to education, graduate with less debt, and meet regional talent needs as professionals in our community.”

— Elizabeth Bushnell, Questa's New Executive Director

Elizabeth will be joining the Questa Foundation team on April 6, 2020. As part of the transition plan, Marc Levy will be available in a support role until his retirement on June 30, 2020.