Scholarship Stories: Amber '10 and Cody Nichols '15
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Video by Joe O'Neill
Siblings share their Dickinson stories, thank those who made their educations possible
Amber Nichols ’10 set her sights on Dickinson at age 15. But while love was abundant in her West Philadelphia family home, money was not. No one in her family had attended college, and after her mother lost a job, Amber worried that Dickinson was out of reach.
Then her financial-aid package arrived in the mail.
“I think I cried,” says Amber, describing her relief at learning she was a recipient of a scholarship. And when her younger brother, Cody ’15, also an accomplished student, was ready to look at colleges, he followed in her footsteps and earned a scholarship to Dickinson as well.
As an undergrad, Amber majored in psychology with a Spanish minor and was a member of the Wheel & Chain honorary society and several student groups. Today, she lives in Louisiana, where she works as a bilingual personal banker for JP Morgan Chase. Cody, who majored in economics and mathematics at Dickinson, is now back in Philly, working as a sales-reporting analyst at the Campbell Soup Company. He also volunteers as a Dickinson mentor, and he’s earning his MBA.
Both say that their successes would not have been possible without their Dickinson educations and mentors, and without the care and support of their parents, Michael and Angela. And now, Michael and Angela are seeing the fruits of that nurturing, says Cody.
“Having both of their children leave the nest, living their best lives, is something that parents dream of and can be proud of,” Cody explains.
The siblings are also grateful for the scholarships that made their educations possible. They are among the countless alumni and students who build bright futures with help from Dickinson scholarships.
This fall Dickinson launched the most ambitious scholarship and financial-aid fundraising initiative in its history. The Campaign for Scholarships: Change a Life—Change the World is uniting the efforts of alumni, parents, and friends of the college around the world to help Dickinsonians like these to build the skills that help them reach their fullest potential.
To learn more about the Change a Life—Change the World campaign, visit www.dickinson.edu/change.
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Published March 9, 2022