Your Impact

“I never thought I’d live past 18, much less graduate,” she says. “Even though I know I’ve done the work, I still have to remind myself that I deserve to be here.”

One of six siblings, Town took on responsibility early. Her father was absent and her mother struggled with chronic pain and opioid addiction.

“I was basically in charge of the household,” she says.

When Town was 10, her mother died from a drug overdose. In the years before that, instability had shaped her daily life and, at times, she left home to find somewhere safer to stay.

“At one point, I lived under a bridge by the OU Duck Pond for about three weeks by myself,” she says.

Despite these hardships, one thing remained constant.

“Academics have always been important to me,” Town says. “Even when they weren’t important to anyone around me.”

She excelled in school, but with no family history of higher education, college felt distant until community organizations stepped in. Operation School Bell, a local, non-profit clothing and personal-care closet, provided essentials and Big Brothers Big Sisters matched Town with a mentor who would change the course of her life.

I never thought I’d live past 18, much less graduate.
— Rebecca Town

Amanda Bowerman met Town when she was 12, becoming a steady and reliable presence.

“Much like any disadvantaged youth, there are things about Becca’s life that she had absolutely no control over,” Bowerman says. “What I consistently witnessed was her ability to turn what would normally be stumbling blocks into stepping stones.”

With Bowerman’s encouragement, college became more than an abstract idea.

Rebecca Town and her longtime Big Brothers/Big Sisters match, Amanda Bowerman, following Town’s May 15 OU commencement ceremonies.

“That match made such a huge difference in my life,” Town says. “I could understand more of what was actually possible.”

Still, one barrier remained.

“Money is what always made a college education feel out of reach,” she says. “I knew I had the drive and the intelligence. But I was poor.”

With Bowerman’s help, Town began researching scholarships and applying for financial aid.

“Once I discovered the resources available to help people like me, it was a game-changer,” she says.

When it came time to choose a college, Town had options—including a full-ride offer from Harvard University. Ultimately, she chose OU.

“I felt like I was going to have more support here,” she says, adding that OU leverages Oklahoma’s Promise scholarships with Crimson Commitment support for low-income students. Together, the two covered tuition and fees. “OU also gave me the opportunity to really figure out what I wanted to study.”

Town began as a microbiology major before finding her path in business, pursuing a management degree with a minor in human resources.

At OU, new challenges emerged. While many students focused solely on coursework, Town worked full-time to support herself as a Sonic carhop and at a property management company.

“You can see and feel the gap between you and your peers,” she says. “Even just having someone to ask questions—I didn’t have that. No one in my life had gone through it before.”

Photo by BendTheTrend

As graduation approached, the balancing act became even more demanding. Around midterms last spring, Town took emergency custody of her younger sister.

She quickly adjusted, managing school, work and caregiving—overseeing medical care, school enrollment and daily routines.

“If I’m taking in a child, I’m going to make sure she’s taken care of before anything else,” Town says. “She’s the priority.”

At the same time, she was planning her wedding.

“That was definitely a period where I had to juggle everything,” she says. “It was hard.”

Through it all, support remained a constant—from Bowerman, her husband and scholarships, including those made possible by the OU Foundation’s Marvin D. and Barbara L. Jirous Sonic Scholarship Fund, Linda R. Dunham Price College of Business Student Support Fund and the Zee and Madge May Vincent Memorial Fund.

“A lot of doors would have never opened for me if I hadn’t had financial support from the university and private donors,” Town says.

Scholarships represented more than financial assistance.

“It feels like someone truly sees and believes in you,” she says. “When you’ve never had that before, it means everything.”

Now, as she prepares for what’s next, Town is focused on giving back. She volunteers with Operation School Bell and Big Brothers Big Sisters, putting her faith in others as they once did her.

“There’s no way to accurately measure the impact that Becca has had and will continue to have on the lives of those around her,” Bowerman says. “What matters is that she is investing in people. Her potential really is limitless.”

Town hopes her story offers something simple but powerful.

Photo by BendTheTrend

“I want kids who grow up like I did to know it’s possible,” she says.

Looking ahead, Town plans to build a career rooted in service, using her experiences to help others navigate challenges of their own.

“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that your past doesn’t define you,” she says. “You can take what you’ve been through and use it to make yourself and the people around you better. I want to be remembered as somebody who was helpful and did what they could to make a difference.” 

Gracie Rolin is very busy. And very grateful.

Being a student at the University of Oklahoma College of Law explains her busy days. Receiving scholarship support during her undergraduate and law school experiences accounts for her gratitude.

Without donor support, her path would have been much tougher – maybe even impossible. Now, as she works her way through law school, she’s deeply thankful to OU donors who support students.

Rolin did her undergraduate work at Oklahoma State University, majoring in political science with a minor in campaigns and lobbying. “I’ve always said that if I do anything in politics, it’s going to be behind the scenes,” she said.

Paying for college wasn’t easy, and as she relied on her parents and her own investment, scholarships were a game-changer. “Scholarships allowed me to focus on my studies,” Rolin said. “I don’t know if I would have been able to do it without them.”

After graduating from OSU in December 2023, Rolin took a job with the McClain County Court Clerk’s office and quickly fell in love with the law. “I found it so interesting,” she said. “I would sit there and say, ‘You’re never going to believe what happened in this case.’”

A judge noticed her enthusiasm and told her, “Maybe you should go to law school. Normal people don’t find that part interesting.” That moment reaffirmed her desire to learn the law.

Rolin took the LSAT, applied to three schools and chose OU. At OU, scholarships were as critical a component to her success as they were during her days in Stillwater. “Law school is a full-time job,” she said. “I’m here 9-to-5 most days, and I’m grateful for the scholarship support that lets me focus on my studies.”

That support would take on deeper importance after her father, Randy Rolin, lost his life in June 2023 when a tornado hit the tractor-trailer rig he loved to drive. “He was the main provider for my family. Without scholarships, law school would have been hard. I don’t know if I would have even considered it.”

Rolin’s mom, Jana, who works for Purcell Public Schools, continued to help her daughter reach her educational dreams. Still, scholarships bridged the gap, allowing Rolin to finish her studies in Stillwater and come to Norman to continue her dreams.

“Education is one of the best gifts you can give,” Rolin said. “It opens doors and creates opportunities. College is expensive, and scholarships make it possible for students like me.”