College Completion Scholarship Contest Winner

September 3, 2024

The recipient of Mars Hill University’s third annual College Completion Scholarship Contest is a sheriff’s deputy who wants to further his career. Hamza Khan started down a traditional education path, enrolling in a residential four-year college straight out of high school. As a first-generation student from an immigrant family, Khan struggled with adjusting to life separate from his close-knit family and ended up leaving school to return home to High Point, North Carolina.

He enrolled in community college, earned his Basic Law Enforcement Training certification, and became a deputy with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. In his five years on the force, Khan has continued his education within his field and looked for ways to advance his career. He feels his lack of a bachelor’s degree has limited some opportunities and is eager to take that next educational step.

Khan’s girlfriend, a Mars Hill alumna, learned about the scholarship contest through her alumni newsletter. She submitted a nomination on his behalf, writing, in part, “This scholarship has the potential to play a major part in all the goals he has set for himself, and hopefully exceed those as well.” She said Khan has attended several MHU Homecoming weekends with her, and noted that Homecoming “would be an even more meaningful event if he could also experience the Hill as an alum one day.”

“I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to earning my degree through Mars Hill University, and joining the Lion community!” Khan said.

This is the third year of the scholarship contest, which awards one full-tuition scholarship to an adult who wants to earn a bachelor’s degree in business management, criminal justice, psychology, or social work through Mars Hill’s Adult and Graduate Studies program. MHU President Tony Floyd called Khan to let him know he won.