Scholar profile: Kaylee Dix, Future Orthodontist

Kaylee Dix is the daughter of Cypress at Home Clinical Manager of Home Health April McCarthy, RN. She has received a Cypress Cove scholarship twice and is currently enrolled at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida. She plans to major in biological science and minor in business finance with the goal of becoming a pediatric orthodontist and opening her own practice one day.

This summer she will graduate with an associate degree in biological sciences and transfer to University of Florida to complete her bachelor’s degree. She plans to stay at University of Florida for dental school and then decide where to complete an orthodontic residency.

“The Cypress Cove scholarship has helped me enhance my educational goals in so many ways!” Kaylee said. “I can attend classes in person, which is vital for a dentistry program. The scholarship funding has helped me pay for classes, books, and additional lab fees that I would not have been able to do on my own.”

Thanks in part to the scholarship, Kaylee has not had to take out any student loans yet. She manages a full-time job, maintains a consistent tutoring schedule with her instructors, and also volunteers as a tutor to help other students.

“This scholarship has helped me overcome the financial challenges of my degree because prior to receiving it I had the mentality that I could only take two to three classes a semester due to my financial situation,” Kaylee explained. “I overcame my fear and feel honored to say after receiving the scholarships I have been a full-time, straight A student and plan continuing to do so to achieve my goals.”

Kaylee has this message to scholarship donors and the Cypress Cove scholarship committee, “I would first like to say, Thank You! Each of you have helped future generations, such as someone like me, continue our education to make this world a better place. Through each of you, I can pursue my goals in a timely fashion and gain knowledge, experience, and self-growth. Learning is forever but being able to EARN a college degree means I have something that no one can take away from me, and for that I will be forever grateful! I will continue to work at my highest potential to remind YOU that your hard-earned money has made a difference not only in my life, but in this world as a whole.”