When University of Colorado at Boulder senior Jennifer Willeke of Otis, Colo., attends commencement on May 7 she will become the second Willeke family member to graduate as a Boettcher Scholar from CU.
Her sister, the third to hold the distinction, is currently enrolled at CU. All grew up in the town of about 500 people on the plains of northeast Colorado.
Willeke says there is no family secret or special strategy for garnering the highly sought-after Boettchers. Between 800 and 1,000 Coloradans apply annually for the 40 available scholarships that pay full tuition and fees to any accredited four-year Colorado institution.
Winning them just seems to come naturally for the Willeke bunch.
"Growing up we never felt pressured in our schoolwork," said Willeke, who will graduate with a bachelor's degree in molecular, cellular and developmental biology. "We were just expected to do our best."
Willeke's older brother Jordan was the first to receive the scholarship. He graduated from CU-Boulder in 2002. Her sister Briana is finishing her freshman year at CU.
Willeke said receiving a full scholarship to pay for college was a goal she has had since seventh grade, and one that became even more important to her in high school.
During her junior year in high school, her mother was diagnosed with cancer and died the summer before her senior year.
"The entire process really drew our family together, we really support each other," she said. "After losing my mom, I just wanted to get this scholarship that much more, as a tribute to her."
Her senior year in high school was a very trying time, she said, because she was no longer just responsible for herself, and in a sense acted like a "soccer mom" to her two younger siblings.
"I took on a lot of my mom's responsibilities, so I was the one making dental appointments for my little brother and sister, and helping keep the house organized," Willeke said.
Willeke said her freshman year at CU-Boulder also was very difficult, because at home she had been accustomed to looking after her younger siblings.
"My dad was a huge supporter during my first year in college," she said. "He has done a great job of stepping up to be both parents."
Willeke said she is ready for graduation, and will spend the next two years working with the Fellowship of Catholic University Â鶹ÒùÔº, where she will work on a college campus as a missionary. She said she doesn't know which campus, but that she will have to fund-raise her own salary, a challenge she's ready to handle. She then plans to pursue a master's degree in a physician assistant program.