After spending 27 years in the U.S. Army, Leah Anderson decided to attend South Dakota State University. Now a sophomore majoring in sociology, Anderson was recently named the first-ever recipient of the Michael Goodale Scholarship in Veterans Affairs. She takes classes at University Center in Sioux Falls.
During one of her three deployments, Leah Anderson stands with her sons, Justin Hassebroe, left, and Marcus Short, right, at Kandahar, Afghanistan.
“When I found out that I was the first recipient of the Michael Goodale Scholarship, I was a little shocked, excited and honored,†said Anderson, who now lives in Colton but is a Sisseton native. “Being the first one of my siblings to attend college, and to know that I have the self-confidence to achieve my educational goals, means a lot to me in knowing that I can do this and knowing that I have to work hard to achieve those goals.
“I also feel like the scholarship allows me to be proud of myself and my accomplishments,†she continued. “I believe it is important to get a degree, and I’m working very hard at obtaining my bachelor’s degree in sociology.â€
Anderson chose sociology and a minor in psychology because she would like to work in counseling, particularly with veterans.
“While I was in the military, I drove trucks for the majority of my 27 years. I was also a squad leader and was in charge of 20 soldiers. I loved being around my squad and found it rewarding when they trusted me enough to talk to me about certain things,†Anderson said. “Having that trust meant a lot to me knowing that they could confide in me whenever they needed to. It made me feel that I should pursue my education and career in counseling.
