As a child, I would have never imagined that one day I would attend one of the greatest universities in the nation. I especially never thought that it would also include me being a part of a program where I feel accepted and at home, while living amongst a community of people that I am happy to call not just my friends, but family. I went from being the kid in 5th grade that everyone used to make fun of because English isn’t my first language, to a high-acheiving and dedicated scholar who does Neurobiological research at The Florida State University while pursuing a degree in Biological Sciences with a full course load. I owe many of my successes to the help I have gotten along the way. I believe that none of this would have been possible without God, my family, and the Southern Scholarship Foundation.
As I began my senior year of high school I knew I wanted to go to college, but I had no idea where I wanted to go or how I would possibly pay for it. The cost of a college education was something that my family could not afford, requiring me to either take out thousands of dollars in loans or pray for scholarships. After applying to countless scholarships and getting rejected and discouraged, I had a friend suggest applying to the Southern Scholarship Foundation. I prayed that I would get accepted, because the ability to receive a college education depended on this financial relief immensly. When the first round of decisions came out, I got wait-listed. I tried to not get discouraged, because I knew I was still being considered for a position. When the second round of decisions came out, I was still on the waiting list. When the third and final round of decisions came out, I was told that there were no spots left available. While I had already decided to attend Florida State thanks to the CARE program, who awarded me the most financial aid and grants among the other schools I got accepted to, I was still really discouraged by the financial situation I was about to put myself and my family into. However, I accepted that an education would be far more valuable than the loans I would have to pay off later and the opportunity was one that I could not pass up on.
Just two weeks after graduating high school, I left Fort Lauderdale for Tallahassee to begin my college journey with a summer at FSU. As the semester went on, all I could think about was how I was going to pay for my housing. Thankfully, two weeks before the summer semester ended, my worries were cleared when I received an email from Barby congratulating me on my acceptance into SSF. I was so excited that I dropped everything I was doing and ran to the SSF main office on the other side of campus to turn in all the remaining paperwork.
Now, I am in my third year of living in SSF and it has truly been a blessing to be a part of this organization. Through SSF, I have made countless wonderful friends that I am certain I would not have met if I lived on campus or in an apartment. I have been fortunate enough to be able to focus on my school work and my research that will surely help me get into Medical school in the future. I have gained leadership experience within my house and across the Foundation. I have gained many wonderful experiences by living within SSF, but living in a house with 16 other guys who encourage each others potential and are just as motivated to succeed as me is something that I will always be truly grateful for.
As a child, I would have never imagined that one day I would attend one of the greatest universities in the nation. I especially never thought that it would also include me being a part of a program where I feel accepted and at home, while living amongst a community of people that I am happy to call not just my friends, but family. I went from being the kid in 5th grade that everyone used to make fun of because English isn’t my first language, to a high-acheiving and dedicated scholar who does Neurobiological research at The Florida State University while pursuing a degree in Biological Sciences with a full course load. I owe many of my successes to the help I have gotten along the way. I believe that none of this would have been possible without God, my family, and the Southern Scholarship Foundation.
As I began my senior year of high school I knew I wanted to go to college, but I had no idea where I wanted to go or how I would possibly pay for it. The cost of a college education was something that my family could not afford, requiring me to either take out thousands of dollars in loans or pray for scholarships. After applying to countless scholarships and getting rejected and discouraged, I had a friend suggest applying to the Southern Scholarship Foundation. I prayed that I would get accepted, because the ability to receive a college education depended on this financial relief immensly. When the first round of decisions came out, I got wait-listed. I tried to not get discouraged, because I knew I was still being considered for a position. When the second round of decisions came out, I was still on the waiting list. When the third and final round of decisions came out, I was told that there were no spots left available. While I had already decided to attend Florida State thanks to the CARE program, who awarded me the most financial aid and grants among the other schools I got accepted to, I was still really discouraged by the financial situation I was about to put myself and my family into. However, I accepted that an education would be far more valuable than the loans I would have to pay off later and the opportunity was one that I could not pass up on.
Just two weeks after graduating high school, I left Fort Lauderdale for Tallahassee to begin my college journey with a summer at FSU. As the semester went on, all I could think about was how I was going to pay for my housing. Thankfully, two weeks before the summer semester ended, my worries were cleared when I received an email from Barby congratulating me on my acceptance into SSF. I was so excited that I dropped everything I was doing and ran to the SSF main office on the other side of campus to turn in all the remaining paperwork.
Now, I am in my third year of living in SSF and it has truly been a blessing to be a part of this organization. Through SSF, I have made countless wonderful friends that I am certain I would not have met if I lived on campus or in an apartment. I have been fortunate enough to be able to focus on my school work and my research that will surely help me get into Medical school in the future. I have gained leadership experience within my house and across the Foundation. I have gained many wonderful experiences by living within SSF, but living in a house with 16 other guys who encourage each others potential and are just as motivated to succeed as me is something that I will always be truly grateful for.
