Florida State University student Zahria Moore grew up in a tough situation.
As she describes it, her mother was abusive, struggled with alcohol dependency, and spent time in prison, causing Moore and her siblings to face food insecurity and homelessness. She saw school as her safe space, and that continued through college.
Moore is set to graduate FSU this summer with a bachelor’s degree in criminology, thanks to FSU’s Unconquered Scholars Program, which provides support services and a community for students who have faced profound hardships during childhood that may increase their risk of leaving academia without a degree.
The Unconquered Scholars Program held its annual banquet Monday, March 31, at FSU’s Miller Hall to celebrate the 136 students currently enrolled in the program and to recognize the 42 students who will be graduating this year.
“This program feels like drinking from a wishing well,” Moore said in her keynote address at the banquet. “Everything that I wanted, everything that I came to college looking for, I found in this remarkable program and these amazing people. My family, my home away from home, my safe space, my confidants.”
“This program feels like drinking from a wishing well. Everything that I wanted, everything that I came to college looking for, I found in this remarkable program and these amazing people.”
– Zahria Moore, Unconquered Scholar and summer 2025 graduate
Part of the Center for Academic Retention & Enhancement (CARE), the Unconquered Scholars Program offers students one-on-on advising, financial assistance and advocacy, tutoring, access to state-of-the-art computer lab and study spaces, mental health counseling, academic and skills workshops, volunteer opportunities and College Life Coaching.
“The Unconquered Scholars Program Awareness Banquet recognizes our students who are graduating in 2025, but it also recognizes all of our students for being one year closer to their goal of getting a degree,” said Assistant Director Caitlin Werner. “The banquet is the time to celebrate their accomplishments and thank the many people who help guide them along the way through their time, energy and resources.”
The six-year graduation rate among Unconquered Scholars is 86%, the same as the general FSU population.
FSU has garnered national attention for its commitment to first-generation students, students receiving Pell Grants and those who have overcome additional obstacles. The university was named a First Scholars Institution in 2023 by the Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA).
The Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU) named FSU the winner of its 2021 Degree Completion Award, recognizing and rewarding the institution for its work to improve graduation rates while nearly eliminating gaps by race, ethnicity and income level.
“We are proud of our Unconquered Scholars, who demonstrate resilience and commitment to collegiate success despite the hardships they’ve experienced,” said DeOnte Brown, CARE director and assistant dean of Undergraduate Studies. “Florida State is richer because of the wonderful community they build on campus, and we are grateful to be able to support such deserving students and watch them thrive.”
To learn more about FSU’s Unconquered Scholars Program, visit care.fsu.edu/UnconqueredScholars.