I’m proud to announce that Fatoumata Diarra is this year’s Plan To Succeed Scholarship winner at Pike High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Each year, I fund a scholarship at my alma mater for a first generation college student. Being the first person in your family to go to college is a really big deal, and it can change the course of your family for generations to come. Because of this, I want to support a remarkable and deserved student in each of PIke’s graduating classes. My scholarship has been awarded to students since 2005.
Fatoumata is an exceptional young lady. She first came to the United States from Africa at the start of high school, without knowing any English. She only spoke French and Bambara. But through hard work and determination, she earned a 3.48 GPA. She works part time in a warehouse and will be attending Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis (IUPUI) in the fall. She is going to study nursing, and there’s no doubt in my mind that she will succeed wildly.
Congrats, Fatoumata! The entire community is proud of your efforts and achievement.

Peter Dunn a.k.a. Pete the Planner® is an award-winning financial mind and a former comedian. He’s a USA TODAY columnist, author of ten books, and is the host of the popular radio show and podcast, The Pete the Planner Show. Pete is considered one of the foremost experts on financial wellness in the world, but he’s just as likely to talk your ear off about bass fishing.