Rachel Cash


Twenty-year-old Rachel Cash has an armload of accolades. But this pretty Medicine Hat College student would much rather talk about almost anything else. “I’m curious about people,” she says while sipping a tasty drink at a local coffee shop.


And right now, people are curious about Rachel.


Just this spring, she was named one of the 50 New Century Scholars. The annual scholarship program is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation, Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Phi Theta Kappa, and American Association of Community Colleges. It presents selected students with a $2,000 scholarship, plaque, and recognition in USA TODAY. In total, 1,700 students were nominated from more than 800 community colleges for the award, with judges considering grades, leadership, activities and students’ intellectual talents beyond the classroom in selecting


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recipients. Awards are given to one student from each US state, alongside one Canadian recipient, and another selected from the remaining countries where Phi Theta Kappa is represented.


“I’m honoured to be on the list,” says Rachel, after some prodding.


Rachel – who grew up near Seven Persons and graduated from Eagle Butte High School – is currently in her second year at the college where she’s studying psychology. In the fall, she’s transferring to the University of Lethbridge to complete her Bachelor’s Degree.


“I love to figure out why people act 14 | TOP 40 UNDER FORTY


and do the things they do,” she says, adding her parents told her they didn’t care what career path she picked, just as long as she got an education.


Rachel’s dream job is to work for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. But this down-to-earth student with a 3.74 grade-point average knows that much could happen as she navigates her way through university. “I’m open to whatever happens,” she says.


In fact, Rachel’s first career choice was to be in education. “I wanted to be a teacher my entire life,” she says. So her first year, she enrolled in education but she quickly found out it just wasn’t what she wanted to do. “I tried to make it work, but it just didn’t,” she laughs.


Rachel is also currently involved with the student ambassador program at the college. She helps students who are new to the college get assimilated. That means everything from hosting information nights, to doing orientations and tours to visiting high schools to promote MHC.


“For me, the busier I am the more I can accomplish,” says Rachel.


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