NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Tiffany Cusick received a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to Regent University during an emotional awards ceremony at the Care Net National Conference in San Antonio, TX on August 26, 2021. Cusick, 22, plans to study theology and Christian Ministry, beginning in the Fall of 2022.

“When I first went to Care Net I was afraid and unsure,” Cusick remembers from her early visits to Care Net Peninsula. “I am super thankful to have found Care Net.”

Cusick expressed gratitude for the scholarship and the free pregnancy-related services she received through Care Net Peninsula, thanking the women on staff: “Their confidence in me has really given me the courage to step out in faith and pursue this and I do believe the Lord has put those women, along with this opportunity, in my life.”

Originally from Gloucester, MA, Cusick moved to Newport News as a young teen. She graduated from Woodside High School in 2016. Now a mom to a 2-month baby girl, Cusick hopes to work in ministry, serving women and children, upon completion of her college degree.

Erin Forsythe, Care Net’s Vice President of Strategic Programs, and Kathleen Patterson, Director of the Doctorate of Strategic Leadership Program at Regent University and Care Net board member, presented the scholarship to Cusick on August 26th in front of pregnancy center leaders from across North America. She is the 10th client of a Care Net affiliated pregnancy center to receive the scholarship from Regent.

Sheri Coker, Advocacy Manager with Care Net Peninsula, nominated Cusick for the scholarship, stating, “In a culture where many view themselves as victims in their circumstances, Tiffany stands out. She works hard without complaining.”

“We know that as a single mom this is a rare opportunity for her to gain the academic knowledge to succeed in both business and ministry,” Coker adds. “We also believe it would set an example for her daughter, that you can accomplish great things in life when you set your mind to it. We believe Tiffany will change the world around her.”

During Cusick’s pregnancy, she experienced compassion, help, and hope at Care Net Peninsula, where she received a free pregnancy test and ultrasound, ongoing consultations with client advocates and nurses, parenting classes, and more. “These women have become my friends,” Cusick said in her application, “They have really been just such a positive impact on me. And even now I know that if I needed something I could call and they would do everything in their power to help me.”

Since opening in 1986, Care Net Peninsula has been the first call for thousands of local women facing unplanned pregnancies. Services include options consultations, pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, parenting support, and more. Through these services and ongoing support, pregnant women receive the help and hope they need at a time when many feel scared and alone. All of Care Net Peninsula’s services are provided at no cost, thanks to the generosity of donors in the community.

Care Net Peninsula is among more than 1,200 pregnancy centers in North America that are affiliated with Care Net. Through a competitive selection process, the Regent Scholarship has been awarded to a Care Net affiliated pregnancy center client for the last eight years. Ursula Penn, the first scholarship recipient to graduate from Regent, matriculated on May 6, 2016. Another scholarship recipient, Lizzie Burton, matriculated in May 2020.