Featured Image: CSU’s Todd Simmons Presents Andrea Singaas With the Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship.
Andrea Singaas
Andrea Singaas of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded the Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship. She is the founder and CEO of The Tyne Group, an organization that provides executive, leadership and career coaching to individual professionals and businesses.
“I built a business while navigating military life,” she said. “I have adjusted plans I was certain about. I had seasons where everything felt aligned and seasons where I had to rebuild from the ground up. I started over more than once. But what I didn’t do was quit.”
With this scholarship, Singaas plans to pursue a doctorate in business administration with a focus on organizational leadership.
“More than anything, I want to continue inspiring and supporting military spouses whose careers and lives did not unfold the way they expected. I want to model that growth is still possible. That pivoting is not quitting. That ambition can evolve without disappearing.”
Mason Valenzuela
Mason Valenzuela of Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, has been named the first recipient of the Pillar of Courage Scholarship. He is a military spouse and left behind an established teaching career and lifelong home in Hawaii to be alongside his wife as she undergoes basic military training.
“I am eager to build upon my teaching experience and advance my abilities through Columbia Southern University and the generous opportunity that the Pillar of Courage Scholarship offers,” he said. “I aim to expand my understanding of what makes an educator exceptional, and to better prepare myself with the tools, knowledge and skills needed to be such an educator as I continue to grow in my profession.”
With this scholarship, Valenzuela plans to pursue a master’s degree in instructional design and technology.
“The conviction and purpose bestowed upon me through military life guide how I operate as an educator and influence the way I approach teaching,” he explained. “Just as I have been a steady source of encouragement for my wife, I aim to continue supporting my students with a deeper skillset and a more refined perspective gained through advancing my education.”
Christi Hubbard
Christi Hubbard of Satsuma, Florida, has been awarded the Business Scholarship. For years, she has operated a pet-sitting and dog-walking business, as well as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps veterans, first responders, animals, small children and unhoused individuals in need.
“I have been making a difference in my community for over 20 years rescuing animals in need, vetting them, adopting them out and pairing veterans with animals,” she said. “I have been utilizing animal assistance therapy before it even became the new thing for veterans.”
With this scholarship, Hubbard plans to pursue a master’s degree in business administration.
Emilio Ortegon
Emilio Ortegon of Waco, Texas, has been named the recipient of the Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarship. He is currently a project safety manager with TDIndustries.
“My studies have allowed me to network and be creative in ways I did not know I had in me,” he said. “Being a Phi Theta Kappa member is such an honor and has shown me that no matter how hard life may knock me down, I must dig deep and keep moving forward.”
With this scholarship, Ortegon plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health with aspirations of obtaining a doctorate in the same field from CSU.
“I find it fascinating that being able to achieve these goals not only benefits me but those around me as well,” he said. “Being able to have the knowledge and skills to help others get home safe to their families is a major win for me.”
Joseph Theodosis
Joseph Theododis of Chandler, Arizona, has been awarded the Fire Scholarship. He is employed with the Department of Forestry and Fire Management via the Arizona Department of Corrections and is the son of a firefighter.
“I was unwittingly being prepared to follow in my dad’s footsteps to run towards the dangers of fire,” he said. “As I got older, I learned of how my dad put himself through college to earn his associate in fire science. He didn’t achieve this degree out of requirement, but by his own needful desire to better understand the profession he had fallen in love with.”
With this scholarship, Theodosis plans to pursue an associate degree in fire science.
“The dedication and fortitude that will be expected of me to bring this degree program to fruition are the same pillars I will need to stand on to lay hold of my goals for this next chapter in the book of my life,” he said. “The knowledge I will gain from this course study of fire science will undoubtedly aid in my abilities and capabilities of any future personal goals.”
Clayton Laurent
Clayton Laurent of Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been named the recipient of the Learning Partner Scholarship. He is currently employed as a safety coordinator with Dragados USA, Inc.
“I am originally from a small U.S. territory in the Caribbean, the U.S. Virgin Islands, where I lived my entire life before relocating to Virginia in August 2025 in pursuit of better career opportunities and a more stable future for myself and my family.”
With this scholarship, Laurent plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health.
“CSU is recognized for its strong occupational health and safety program, and its curriculum aligns with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals requirements for the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential,” he said. “Upon graduation, I will be eligible for the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) designation, which provides a direct pathway toward obtaining my CSP. Additionally, the coursework and certifications embedded within the program will strengthen my knowledge in construction safety and leadership—both of which are essential for advancement within my company.”
To learn more about Columbia Southern University’s scholarships, visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Scholarships.
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
