When a young Whitmer High School student filled out scholarship applications in 2009, she couldn't have known how one particular award would help shape her future. Growing up in a low-income household with an unstable family life, she held fast to her childhood dream of becoming a dentist – a vision she'd had since age three.
That determination, combined with guidance from her high school counselor, led her to apply for scholarships through the Community Foundation. Among the awards she received, the Jamie Farr Scholarship stood out: while most offers were one-time $1,000 grants, this one provided $3,000 annually throughout her undergraduate studies at The Ohio State University.
"I was on top of the world when I won this scholarship," Cody recalls. "Reading and writing were challenging for me, so having a recurring scholarship provided such a strong foundation." Unlike many other awards that disappeared after the first year, the Jamie Farr Scholarship's renewable nature proved invaluable throughout her undergraduate journey.
During her time at Ohio State, she excelled both academically and as a campus leader, serving on the student senate and mentoring others. Then came dental school – a new level of challenge with intense studying, clinical rotations, and mastering precise hand skills. While undergraduate scholarships and grants weren't available at the graduate level, the early financial support had helped pave the way.
After completing her dental education, she chose to serve where she was needed most – working with underserved populations in downtown Toledo. Her commitment to community service earned her the Ohio State University Young Professional Alumni Award, a prestigious recognition given to just one alumnus under 40 each year for excellence in the dental profession.
Her dedication to serving others has only grown. She became an adjunct professor at Ohio State University overseeing clinical rotations and joined the advisory board at Ross College for dental assistants. Her personal experience with housing insecurity drove her to lead the dental portion of Tent City, providing care for homeless individuals.
When the pandemic hit, she emerged as a leading dentist at her dental center while many offices shut down. Currently, she works at an Indian reservation dental center, where she continues to serve communities with limited access to dental care. She's involved in multiple initiatives including Wee Smile, which provides minimally invasive dental work for young children, Give Kids a Smile offering free dental care, and supervising a program training Dental Health Aid Therapists to serve remote populations.
"I love what I'm doing, and I will always serve the underserved," she reflects. Her advice to current high school seniors? "Apply for as many scholarships as you can. Be disciplined and do the work now, before college gets busy. Even though it can be stressful and sometimes discouraging, the effort you put in today can open doors tomorrow."
The Community Foundation scholarships have the potential to launch careers that transform lives and communities. For students wondering if the effort of applying is worth it, her journey from scholarship recipient to community leader shows that every application represents a potential step towards achieving their dreams.