Roane State student wins national $21,000 scholarship

Roane State Community College student James Davis of Crossville is one of two students in the country to win a $21,000 scholarship awarded to young adults with cystic fibrosis as they pursue higher education.

Davis was among 24 undergraduate students who received a $2,500 AbbVie CF Scholarship. The students then competed for public votes to win an additional $18,500 scholarship and be named a 2013 Thriving Scholar.

In addition to public votes, scholarship awards were based on students’ academic excellence, extracurricular activities, creativity, and ability to serve as a positive role model for the cystic fibrosis, or CF, community.

Davis is studying business finance at Roane State. In his biography on the scholarship program’s Web page, he described living with cystic fibrosis.

“When I was born, I wasn’t expected to live past 15. As a child, I was told that my life would be a constant battle between life and death,” he wrote. “The day I turned 16, I suddenly realized I was still alive, and now at 30, my life is nothing short of a miracle. ….

“One of the most important things CF has taught me is to seek after things that are good, worthwhile, and that have lasting value. Because I am always facing death, I have realized how much I love life and how precious it is. Life is simply phenomenal and the battle to live is more than worth it.”

For more information on the AbbVie CF Scholarship, visit www.abbviecfscholarship.com.

Roane State is a two-year college providing transfer programs, career-preparation programs, and continuing education. Founded in 1971, the college has campuses in Crossville, Harriman, Huntsville, Jamestown, Knoxville, LaFollette, Lenoir City, Oak Ridge, and Wartburg.

For more information, visit roanestate.edu or call 1-866-GO2-RSCC (1-866-462-7722).