Student organization gives back with $1,500 scholarship

When she was 16, Kayla Volk received a frantic phone call from her mother, who told her she couldn’t move her legs.

After rushing her to the hospital, the now-UF biology senior realized how multiple sclerosis, a disease that attacks the nervous system, changed her family’s life. And she saw just how resilient her mother could be.

“She had always been the strongest person in my life and my biggest role model,” the 21-year-old said.

On Monday, Volk accepted a $1,500 scholarship during the UF Hopping 4 A Cure Annual Scholarship Banquet. The student organization, which fundraised money to support people affected by multiple sclerosis, picked Volk out of about 30 applicants.

About 25 Gainesville residents, including Volk’s family, watched as Volk spoke about how proud she was of her mother for fighting through the disease.

“I couldn’t be more proud to be her daughter,” she said.

Nicholas Torralba, the president of UF Hopping 4 A Cure, said the applicants were all Gainesville residents who had been affected by the disease in some way. He said they looked for someone who overcame how the disease impacted their life and devoted themselves to service.

Taylor McMahon, an 18-year-old UF sociology junior, was chosen as runner-up for the award.

“These are two ideal applicants,” said Torralba, a 21-year-old UF finance senior. “They have a bright future ahead of them.”

Kayla Volk said she was driving home Thursday when she received a phone call from Torralba telling her she won.

“I started crying,” she said. “You never think you’ll actually win one of those things.”

She immediately called her mom to tell her the news.

Jennifer Volk, 44, said she couldn’t believe strangers had given their time and money to support her daughter.

“They don’t know me, and they just gave my family such a generous gift,” she said, holding back tears. “How do you thank someone for that?”

Volk was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003. She said she knows there are people fighting for a cure, but being able to thank them personally meant the world.

“I feel like I’m no longer on my own,” she said.

Since the phone call to her daughter in 2011, Jennifer Volk said she still wakes up every morning in intense pain. But her family’s bond has been her foundation to keep pushing through.

“They’re my world,” she said.

In her application for the scholarship, Kayla Volk told the organization her story about how her mother, who she considers her best friend, learned to cope with the disease. Receiving the scholarship, she said, shows how people are united in the effort to find a cure.

“I’m just honored,” she said. “I can’t put it any other way.”

From left: Robert Volk, Jennifer Volk, Kayla Volk and Travis Pemberton pose for a picture with Kayla Volk, a 21-year-old UF biology senior, who received the $1,500 scholarship.