I come from a low-income family that had no interest in sending me to school. They doubted my academic abilities and believed it was far too difficult to succeed in college because of my financial situation. I have proven them wrong; most importantly, I have proven to myself that I can achieve whatever I set my mind to. Rio Hondo College has given me a great foundation as a student and as a human being. It has open doors for me and I feel optimistic about my future thanks to the education I am receiving. It has served as a starting point in my quest to achieve my dream.
I have worked hard to achieve a 3.8 transferable GPA, I know that thanks to Financial aid and thanks to scholarship fund, I will continue striving for academic excellence. The networking environment at Rio Hondo has allowed me to meet great professors and other like minded individuals who want to continue their education just like myself. They are critical resources who inspire me, and I believe in my own way, I motivate them to chase after their own dreams. We all dream, but we do not all chase after them.
I have continually sought guidance in my academic pursuit. I have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunities by attending the Summer Bridge Program at Rio Hondo College. Summer Bridge introduced me to meet new people and I learned to network with other business administration students. Later, seeing those same students in my classes for Fall and Spring semester encouraged me feel like I was never going through this education experience alone. Being a first-generation college student, I felt like I had no one to talk to when It came to college advice. Thanks to EOP & S and the First-Year Success Center, I was able to talk to counselors who understood and guided me to develop a plan. Their guidance helped me develop the confidence to continue my educational journey. Most importantly, the DSPS program has also been a pivotal part of making me the student I am today. DSPS is a program that accommodates my learning disabilities; it allows me to take extra time for tests and gives me to the space to take it in a room by myself. By taking advantage of my resources and going above and beyond to pass all my classes, I am proud to say I have been given deans honors two semesters while at Rio Hondo.
I struggled as a first-year student because I was homeless which made me feel like I didn’t belong in college. I was homeless with my family for a long time and was moving from hotel to hotel and often we found ourselves sleeping in our cars. But we lived through it and continue the necessary fight. It was a difficult struggle, but we are all in a better place. While it is hard for me due to my family’s low income, which is barely enough to pay for the rent, I have done what I can to continue with my education. My poverty has not broken me; I am stronger because of it. Thanks to Rio Hondo’s strong educational foundation and amazing community I have been accepted to USC for Fall semester 2020.
Start Rio, go anywhere!!!