Tessa graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Foreign Language and Literature-Mandarin Chinese from the University of Florida. She had the privilege this summer to study abroad in Chengdu, China at the second-best University in China. Tessa’s next step is to complete the master’s program for her major. She has been offered a Teaching Assistant position due to her standard of excellence.

Tessa and her family started the Troy Santner National Children of Fallen Firefighters Fund. She and her family raise money throughout the year to send Christmas cards and small gifts to children of fallen firefighters around the nation to let them know that they are not alone.

Tessa is the daughter of a widowed mother and has four siblings. This scholarship will certainly help Tessa and her mother afford for Tessa to continue her education. Tessa is punctual, a hard worker and carries herself in a polite, respectable manner – all qualities that make her a deserving applicant.