HOUSTON (Nov. 9, 2023) – Maren Jensen of Katy has been named the winner of the national Dr. Alexanderia K. Lane Memorial Scholarship. The Dental Hygiene student at Houston Community College (HCC) – Coleman College for Health Sciences will receive $10,000 to help fund her education.
The scholarship is in memory of Alexanderia K. Lane, D.D.S, a respected Houston dentist and beloved community servant, to continue Lane’s legacy of assisting families in financial need and empowering individuals through education.
“I’m so honored to receive this scholarship,” Jensen said. “Dr. Lane wasn’t just a compassionate dentist; she was a compassionate person. I really felt I had to apply for this scholarship. It wasn’t just because I’m pursuing a dental career; it’s because I also want to help others the way she did.”
Jensen applied for the scholarship in June, and she was named the winner from a pool of 10 nationwide finalists on Nov. 1.
To enter the competition, contestants needed to write an essay on the topic of “Why is it important to help others?”
“It was a topic near and dear to my heart,” Jensen said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help and generosity of many people.”
Jensen is in her first year of the HCC Dental Hygiene program and will graduate in May 2025. “The scholarship will help ease the financial pressure on my family,” Jensen said.
On top of her schoolwork, part-time job, and family obligations, Jensen also finds time to serve as a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success Foundation where she is community service chair for HCC Coleman College.
Last year, when she was a Dental Assisting student, she coordinated two community service projects benefiting Meals on Wheels and Houston Humane Society, respectively. She also belongs to the HCC Coleman College Student Government Association and serves as treasurer and sits on the College Advisory Board for HCC Coleman College and Student Fee Advisory Committee for HCC.
An academic star, Jensen is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS).
With her sizable scholarship, Jensen is beginning to look even further ahead.
“I definitely plan to stick on the path of dental hygiene, but this scholarship is definitely making me look at HCC’s bachelor’s degree program in health care management,” Jensen said. “Earning a bachelor’s degree is important to me, and $10,000 goes very far at HCC.”
Photo caption:
Maren Jensen
About HCC – Coleman College For Health Sciences
Houston Community College – Coleman College for Health Sciences is a public institution of higher learning dedicated to educating tomorrow’s health care professionals since 2004. Located in the Texas Medical Center, Coleman offers associate degrees and certificates in more than 20 health science fields in a state-of-the-art academic facility. It also offers a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management.
About Houston Community College:
HCC is composed of 14 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society. HCC is one of the country’s largest singly accredited, open-admission community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training and lifelong learning opportunities.