Jana Rossetto Kennedy graduated from Gillespie High School in 1998, earning a $500 Partnership for Educational Excellence scholarship.
“After graduating, I attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) where I received bot a B.S. and a M.S. in education,” she says. “Upon completing my master’s degree, I took a wild ride as a military spouse and bounced around the U.S. for about 10 years, holding jobs in education, ranging from being an academic adviser for a university to being a classroom teacher.”
About five years ago, Jana and her family found themselves in Annapolis, Maryland, where she accepted a position with the Maryland State Education Association. “I now spend my days advocating for public education!” she enthuses.
Jana says she has gained a new appreciation for scholarships such as The Partnership’s. “I recently realized how important my scholarship was to me and my parents as I was assisting my own sons apply to college,” she says. “I realized that every dollar granted to me was a tremendous help. While in 1998 I did not truly appreciate the value of the scholarship, I do now! It helped give me something that has been invaluable as I bounced around the country: two degrees!”
Jana’s oldest son will be a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis; her second son will be a sophomore at Auburn University in Alabama; her daughter is in fourth grade.
“When I’m not at one of the children’s events, I enjoy all the East Coast has to offer, from the amazing restaurants to the endless number of museums and attractions in the area.”
Jana is the daughter of Deb and Mike Rossetto of rural Plainview.