“Being a college student has been challenging because I haven’t always had access to resources that other students have. That kept me down for a long time, but then I learned how to live with that and stay close to programs like 10,000 Degrees and other programs at College of Marin that work to help me and other students like me to succeed.
I’m a mother of two children living in a segregated and expensive county, so quitting my job is not a choice. For the last five years, I have been cleaning at night while taking very hard science classes. That is why transferring to a four-year university is something I never imagined I could do.
Receiving a 10,000 Degrees scholarship has been really helpful because everything is so expensive in Marin, and is harder with children. The extra money allows me to take a break from working more hours and instead, focus on my education. Plus, the support of 10,000 Degrees Fellows and other staff at the College of Marin has been incredible. They always help me with filling out applications and brainstorm other scholarships I can apply to. They make me feel welcome.
I started working cleaning houses the day I came to the US from my country. I thought it was my destiny, but everything in my life started changing when I began attending College of Marin.
Then, learning English had a great impact on my family, especially my children, because I can attend their school events and communicate with their teachers, and it makes it easier to find and apply for programs for them. By going to school and pursuing a higher education, I’m also impacting the Latino community because it is important for them to see people who look like me and speak the same language as me to believe that they too can succeed.”