The questions that shape us
At this year’s Quad Cities Community Foundation scholarship reception, we heard from an extraordinary student. I found his experience and perspective so engaging that we asked him to share his story with our broader community.
— Sue Hafkemeyer, president and CEO
One day during my first semester of college, I was watching raindrops disturb the surface of a pond. I wondered that day if I could describe the waves using math. This curiosity propelled me toward the path I am on today.
You see, I’ve always been someone who asks questions. Maybe that’s why I found my way to physics—a field that never stops questioning. This month, I got to speak to this year’s Quad Cities Community Foundation scholarship recipients during the annual awards reception, and I encouraged them to explore three big questions—questions that have shaped my past, my present, and my future.
First, the past question: “Where do I belong?”
I moved around a lot growing up. For a long time, I thought “home” was just a place on a map. But the more I searched for belonging, the more I realized—it’s not just about geography. Home is where curiosity is nurtured, where you find people who care, and where you can pursue something bigger than yourself. I found that home in Davenport.
Landen Freeman
The present question: “How do I keep going?”
Every student knows this question. Some days, the path forward is clear. Other days, it’s a mess of self-doubt, setbacks, and frustration. I know what that feels like. I applied for over 70 scholarships. Seventy. It was exhausting. But it wasn’t just about money—it was about reaching out, hoping that somewhere on the other end, someone would see my potential. And sure enough, they did. Scholarships like the two I received from Community Foundation donors don’t just make education possible.
They make the hard days survivable. They remind us that we are not alone. When we question whether we can keep going, there is a whole community standing behind us, saying, “Yes, you can!” And so, we do.
Sometimes, it feels impossible to keep going, but I wanted to remind the scholarship recipients of the simple truth that their very act of being is enough. Let me repeat this: “Being” is always enough. It’s an important reminder on the tough days.
And finally, the future question: “Who will I become?”
This is the biggest question of all. And it’s not just for students—it’s for everyone.
We tend to think of “becoming” as something in the distance, something we work toward. But I believe that the very act of becoming is fundamental to being itself. It’s not just about what’s ahead—it’s about the choices we make today, the way we show up, and how we give back.
For students like me, the answer might be unclear. But know this: we are already becoming. Every challenge, every success, and every question shapes us. We belong exactly where we’re going, we keep going by being, and we keep being by becoming.
For the donors, educators, and supporters who make the Community Foundation scholarships possible, you have already answered that question with your generosity. You have chosen to invest in the future. To believe in students. To build something that lasts far beyond today. And for that, I’m so very grateful.
Landen Freeman is a Davenport North High School graduate student at the University of Iowa. He plans to pursue a PhD in physics and teach at the university level. Landen was awarded the Dearrel Bates Memorial Scholarship and the James W. Victor Scholarship from the Quad Cities Community Foundation.