When Vaab Xiong opened the email announcing she had been selected as a 2025 Chime Workforce Scholar, she couldn’t believe it.
“I cried when I learned I had been selected as a recipient,” she explains. “I was thrilled to be chosen.”
Vaab is one of just 200 college students nationwide to receive this year’s award. The Chime Scholars Foundation provides $200,000 in scholarships each year to support students in workforce-ready programs. Recipients are chosen for their academic achievement, leadership, engagement and career readiness.
For Vaab, the recognition is more than financial support, it’s a step toward her dream career. She’s currently enrolled in the IT Help Desk Support Specialist program, a field she chose because it combines her skills in customer service with her interest in IT solutions.
Her time at FVTC has been shaped by her involvement in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, which she says has built her confidence.
“Being part of PTK has affirmed that I am capable and able,” she explains. “I have taken the initiative to be more engaged and not be afraid to volunteer out in the community.”
Vaab plans to use the scholarship to pay for two professional certifications: the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) and the Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA). These credentials will help her land a role on a project management team, her first step toward her ultimate goal of becoming a Lead Project Manager within the next 6-8 years.
Looking back on her time at FVTC, Vaab is grateful for the support she’s received.
“There was a time when I didn’t dream at all,” she explains. “Now, I not only dream, but I set goals and take steps to reach them. My experience at FVTC has been so rewarding because the environment here is welcoming and supportive.”
