ASU student receives Devils Pride Chapter On Q Financial Scholarship

On Q Financial Inc., a national home-mortgage lender, announced the recipient of its first scholarship to Arizona State University senior Olivia Roush, Class of '22. Roush will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a certificate in LGBT studies in May 2022.

She was selected for the $2,000 award based on her academic merits and community service through the ASU Alumni Association’s LGBTQIA+ Devils Pride Chapter.

“At On Q Financial, we understand the importance of a well-educated workforce and the increasing financial needs of many college students today,” said Juan Rodas, senior vice president of capital markets and fulfillment at On Q Financial Inc. “Through the scholarship selection process, we were deeply impressed with Olivia’s commitment to service, her passion for health care, and her dedication to serving the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ population.

“Scholarships like this take a bit of the weight off of students. With our corporate headquarters in Tempe, ASU was a natural place to reach out for help in finding the right student of our first award.”

Community service during Roush’s college career has included the following: COVID-19 vaccine administrator at various sites in Maricopa County; Phoenix Pride, which recognized her as the 2020 Volunteer of the Year; Chispa Arizona, where she volunteered as a voter-registration canvasser; and Grace Center for Innovation in Nursing Education, a part of ASU’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation. In the spring 2019 semester, Roush also completed a three-week study abroad internship with Nature Seekers in Matura, Trinidad, where she conducted biological research.  

“During her college experience, which includes the intense academic rigors of the honors college and participation in extracurricular activities, Olivia has worked to support herself throughout this journey,” said Michael Einstein, ’15 BA ’17 MA, of the LGBTQIA+ Devils Pride Chapter. “Olivia has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to her coursework as well as identifying opportunities to invest in the community through applied settings and leadership positions.”

After graduation with her bachelor’s degree in nursing, Roush plans to work as a registered nurse to gain hands-on medical experience. She also has a desire to attend graduate school and eventually become a nurse practitioner and open her own practice focusing on the needs of the LGBTQIA+ population.

“Continuing to earn scholarships is essential to my ability to reach my goals of improving the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals in health care,” Roush said. “I am so grateful for the On Q Financial Scholarship to fund a portion of the final year of my undergraduate education. This scholarship gives me the opportunity to dedicate myself to completing my degree and pursuing additional learning experiences. I understand that the opportunity of a college education must be earned, so I am proud to work diligently to continue identifying resources through employment and scholarships to fund my schooling.”

Christine Wilkinson, president/CEO for the ASU Alumni Association, talks about the growing need for financial support for students: “One of our primary initiatives at the Alumni Association is to assist students, especially those with financial need. When community partners like On Q Financial step up to provide scholarships, we’re appreciative of their desire to help students reach their academic goals. On Q believes in supporting students to build a well-educated workforce. We look forward to working with Juan Rodas and his team at On Q Financial to continue supporting Sun Devil students so they can achieve their dreams of graduating from ASU and starting their professional careers.”

For more information about the Devils Pride Chapter and the On Q Financial Scholarship opportunities, visit https://alumni.asu.edu/chapters/lgbtqia-devils-pride-chapter.