In the latter years of my high school career, when I was thinking about my future in education, there was always the looming worry that financial burdens would be an obstacle to my success. Growing up as the only child in a Guatemalan household, I wanted to do my part in making my parents proud by being the first in my family to attend college. But envisioning a future at a good school was difficult due to the fear of taking on immense debt from college loans.
Throughout my time at Fox Lane, I tried to push myself as much as I could, taking all AP and Honors classes while balancing extracurriculars, including being a two-sport varsity athlete on the soccer and wrestling teams. Looking ahead, I knew I wanted to attend a school that would set me up for great success in my career. But I knew that many schools with great merit also came with very substantial financial costs. Tuitions upwards of 80k a year. A cost that was not tangible for me.
Rewarding Potential created a gateway for me: not only financially, but also in terms of connectivity. I was introduced to a network of individuals who shared stories similar to mine. Individuals who have found success while coming from backgrounds of constraint.
Having a one-on-one mentor through RPS has been a great experience because I have been able to connect with someone who has knowledge of the finance industry and is willing to provide support and advice for my career development. As someone with no prior industry connections, having a mentor through RPS has been such an insightful experience.
I am now in my Senior Year at Boston College, where I am studying Economics, Finance, and Hispanic Studies. I am looking forward to a career in the Financial Services industry and am happy to share that I recently completed a summer internship at a brokerage firm in Greenwich.
I look forward to helping the next generation of Rewarding Potential Scholars achieve their career goals and succeed not only in their desired field of work but also in their personal growth.
I am excited for what’s to come in my future career endeavors and am so thankful for the gracious support of the Rewarding Potential Scholarship, which has helped make all of my successes possible.