As a 10,000 Degrees alum, this program has been and continues to be the most impactful in my life.
I have been part of 10,000 Degrees for over seven years. I was first introduced to 10,000 Degrees at San Rafael High School. School was always difficult for me, but I knew I wanted to help out my mother, who came to this country in search of a better life for her children. She always reminded us that we can be whatever we want if we work hard.
When I was accepted into Sonoma State University, my mother had to go back to Mexico because my grandmother became ill. So I decided to attend College of Marin and work two jobs. During that time 10,000 Degrees was a huge support, if not the most important support. I am proud to say that I transferred to San Francisco State University. All that time, 10,000 Degrees provided me with scholarships and financial aid advising, and thanks to that, I graduated debt free!
Thanks to the 10,000 Degrees Career Mentor Program, I also landed my first professional job right out of college. They helped me connect with mentors and people in the career I was interested in, network, and get interview and resume tips. And when that first job didn’t work out, they helped me confidently land a new position in finance technology.
I hope my journey can be an example of how your support helps students like me to be where I am today: An alumna with two AA degrees, a bachelor’s degree in Business Admin and Management, who through a career success webinar was able to launch my career.
From Eslly’s Keynote Speech at our 2023 One Amazing Community Gala
“If you are to take one thing from me today, it is that it’s important to continue to fund programs like 10,000 Degrees so they can continue to support future generations of students like me and my siblings. It takes a village to grant a student the opportunity to have access to a better future.”
