Resident: Job Bernadin
House: Hawksley II
Maya Angelou once said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” My name is Job Bernadin and this is my story. I am currently a senior at the University of Florida majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Accounting. I was raised in Haiti and came to the US five years ago. My mentor never ceased to tell me that there was no way for any individual to grow within their comfort zone, which is what made me leave the comfort of my home in Fort Lauderdale and move to Gainesville to become part of the Gator Nation, which is one of the greatest decisions I made in my life.
I am very humbled to have been offered a scholarship at Southern Scholarship Foundation. SSF has become more than just a scholarship, as it has become my second family. One of the benefits of living at SSF and sharing a house with other people is that they will sometimes let you know what some of your not-so-pleasant cleaning habits are. You often don’t notice the little things that you do that make living in your space less than ideal. You might not notice you always leave the cabinet doors open. Or that you leave food in your fridge for way too long. And so on and so on. These valuable pieces of information about yourself might sting at first, but they may help highlight things about your cleaning habits you need to change, and that just might make your future homes nicer places to live in for yourself (and others).
After graduating, I plan to move to New York and become a Supply Chain and Logistic Manager for a prominent retail company. There, I will enhance my analytical skills needed to start my own nonprofit organization to support education and health, not only in my native land but also in some northern countries in Africa. You will find me very passionate about making an impact in this world as I believe in the power of education and the change it can bring to the world. Due to the economic stance of Haiti when I was growing up, I had to watch close family members and friends stop attending school. Frequently, I stared at the empty fridge that only increased the loud grumbling coming from my stomach. By the hour, the crime rate in the area I resided in increased. However, little did I know that these experiences would play a fundamental role in the outlook I now carry concerning my philosophy on life. Furthermore, I did not realize how the economic aspects surrounding Haiti would play a fundamental role in my interest in pursuing my degree in the field of Business Administration.
