Meet Samantha Marti

2012 Compliment Scholarship Winner

Samantha Marti is a brand-new freshman at Sonoma State University. She says she knew from her sophomore year of high school that SSU was the place she was meant to be. As the first in her family to go to college, Samantha is determined to carve her own path. She says, "Life is about designing a path that is one you want to follow, one you desire for, one that isn't just instructions or a guide, but your own." As the daughter of a disabled veteran, Samantha plans to work as many hours as possible while carrying 14 units in her first semester. She says this scholarship will go directly to pay for her first semester book expenses.

When we asked her what the best compliment she ever received was, Samantha responded, "You can do better." She continued, "Though this might seem negative at first or different than other more expected compliments, it uplifted me. It left me smiling just thinking that someone had noticed where I was and where I could be. It gave me hope that I could aim higher. I could always improve. It showed me that someone believed in me."

We believe in Samantha and can't wait to see all she accomplishes during her time at SSU and beyond! Congrats, Samantha!