1998. That was the year I was born in San Francisco. I was an innocent baby and I do not remember anything but I know that my parents brought me to Jakarta, Indonesia after I turned one. Fast forward to my life in Jakarta, where I grew up for 16 years. I was a typical student who goes to school because it is an obligation. When I got to middle school, I placed first honors. Surprised, I did not know how I got the award, but it sparked my motivation to do well in my education. From that moment on, I strove for my academic goals and decided to pursue my higher education in the United States.
Adapting to the United States
I started college in Spring 2016. As an introvert, I liked to be alone so I went straight home right after my classes each day. Despite enjoying being alone, as time passed, I became deeply lonely because my family was not with me. I changed my mind about standing alone being a sign of my capability. Thus, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and ask for help. The first place I went to was the English Language Institute which connected me to a career counselor who changed my college life. Through her help, I was able to get a job on campus and I began to build my own support community.
STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) may not appeal to everybody at first, but eventually a passion for this may find us in some form. From utilizing technology, to enrolling in mathematics classes, to performing lab experiments, STEM has a way of influencing us to do our best and make us crave more. But for me, it was a combination of them all. Choosing to be a STEM major was not an immediate decision; it was a process that I had to figure out at my own pace. STEM exposed a little portion of itself to me, and I wanted more—like an addiction that I could not contain.
Stepping up to the plate
The first two years of high school can be overwhelming with graduation requirements and miscellaneous work whose purpose may not be clear at the time. Over the course of those two years, all I knew was that I performed well in math, and I wanted to stay away from subjects that did not challenge my brain to think harder and “out of the box.” However, I never figured out or had a career plan for college. I simply did what was expected of me and completed school. Throughout those years, numbers and scientific truths seemed to “throw themselves” at me, and it somehow stuck. Did I know what this meant? No. Was I confused about why numerical and science-like concepts appeared easier than reading a simple story and analyzing it? Absolutely. I was curious. I had this small tiny spark that needed help igniting, and I desired a flame.
Taking action to understand the math and science stigma
I had this “thing” in me, and I needed help. I skewed away from taking easy-A classes and knew that courses like physics and calculus were the ones for me. There was just something about understanding the world, and the nature of objects and actions, and applying math to real-world scenarios that was so intriguing. At that moment, STEM was a stigma that the previous generation pushed the future generations to pursue, and to this day it is still wildly supported and important. Everything around was transforming for the better and I needed to be part of that chain-reaction. My teachers pushed me to do my best and impacted my decision on a career. They made learning enjoyable and less like an obligation. Long story short, I had this kindling flame, and near the end of my high school chapter, I ended up with this untamable wildfire spreading throughout my body with excitement.
Energizing my education towards chemical engineering
Picking a specific career is not easy, especially for me. My excessive drive to learn influenced me to go in all sorts of directions from dermatology to business, and economics to mathematics, to physics to engineering; unfortunately, there is no time to do them all. Yes, I excelled in the mathematics and sciences. But, how could I combine all of the preceding fields and have room for flexibility? After hours of research and curriculum comparisons, I ultimately selected chemical engineering. This area of engineering plays a role in all of the engineering disciplines and overlaps in production of pharmaceuticals, energy, and produce goods. It’s a diverse field with opportunity and potential to do great that I could not pass up.
Making my mark
Being a chemical engineering major gives me insight on how to think and a new perspective to view my surroundings. But I could not have done it without help from my mentors, friends, supporters, and outside sources. Nobody simply excels alone; this process is a team effort, and I am proud to be chosen as a Pearson Scholar of Higher Education. Through this scholarship Pearson provides access to their exceptional services and extra study materials that are used in my classes. The opportunity to be affiliated with Pearson and their mentorship program has shown me that I can be the best version of myself by fully utilizing what is around me to my benefit. Within chemical engineering, one of my goals is to mentor and influence the upcoming generation to pursue STEM-related majors. In addition, I intend to start a scholarship fund for those who are in financial need and want to have a career in the STEM field. Pearson is doing just that for me, and I hope to continue the legacy of “creating fulfilling careers and better lives” and initiating the STEM-sensational spark in others.
In August 2017, I was awarded one of 10 Pearson Scholarships for Higher Education. When I learned that I would be paired with a Pearson mentor as part of my scholarship award, I was excited to learn the “ins and outs” of the business world. I have had a lot of experience with mentoring, both as a mentee and a mentor to students and Marines. However, I didn’t expect my mentor to be as experienced as he is; Clarke Porter is a successful entrepreneur with a vast supply of business knowledge. While I have a good foundation of discipline and studying habits, Clarke helped me fine tune my time management, prepare for the SAT and guided me through obstacles on the transfer process.
Test Prep Help
As part of the scholarship program requirements, Clarke and I meet monthly to discuss our themed discussion topics over FaceTime. We also check in on each other via text between our scheduled calls. Our overall goal via the mentoring process was to help me identify and achieve my academic and career goals and successfully transfer from community college to a university. As a first-generation student and a veteran, I set my sights on the most significant challenges and push towards achieving it. In the academic and business world two titles shake the ground beneath them; Jack Kent Cooke Scholar and Ivy League education. To attain either of those titles, I’d have to maintain my 3.9 GPA and campus leadership positions while identifying and addressing the needs of my community.
As I prepared to transfer from Miami-Dade Community College to a university for the Fall 2018 semester, I set aside four months to study for the SAT (a requirement for some of the schools for which I applied). Clarke and I discussed examining habits and getting the most of my SAT prep time. His daughter had recently taken the exam and earned a high score. Unbeknownst to me, a hefty package arrived at my doorstep a week after that Facetime call. Clarke sent me a complete Kaplan SAT prep course, including a bonus CD with practice exams and best practices for exam day. After receiving my score, I texted Clarke to let him know the great news; with his support I’d scored significantly higher than I did in high school!
Regrouping with Guidance
Equipped with my new score, I began my common app transfer application. During the process I noticed a discrepancy with my transcripts. My community college requires two semesters of a foreign language to complete the Associate’s degree. Perhaps it was my Hispanic last name or the fact that I grew up in South Florida, but foreign language credits were not on my Academic Plan. This threw a wrench into my transfer process,put me at risk for losing scholarships, and left me empty handed with the universities that had already accepted me.
Despite facing uncertainty with my academic future, I called my mentor and together we altered my action plan. We researched Fall 2019 application deadlines and requirements, contacted Pearson for an extension on my second scholarship check, and emailed the university recruiters that had already accepted me for an extension and application fee waiver. After I fixed all the immediate issues, my mentor and I discussed ways I could maximize my extra time since I would be remaining at my community college for an additional year.
This year I have created my own Leadership club on campus to help students learn essential skills they needed to succeed in school and the business world. I also accepted a fellowship with the non-profit/ non-partisan organization Campus Election Engagement Program to help register, educate, and engage youth voters; my efforts resulted in the registration of over 400 students on my campus. My mentor has helped guide and support me, even as my academic path took an unexpected detour. I am grateful to have made this connection through Pearson.
Right now, I am both a high school senior and a student at my local community college. I am pursuing a pre-health associate’s degree and hope to one day major in dentistry. My life can get hectic balancing classwork, clubs, and activities at both schools, but it is all worth it. I have constantly taken classes that have continued to challenge and push me to perform my best. That is part of the reason why I am a dual enrolled student.
Sisters in college
I am also one of four daughters who all happen to be attending college at the same time. My motto is, “the faster I get through school, the more money I can save.” This is big because there are a lot of expenses for a higher education. If you multiply that number by four, it might give you an idea of how my parents feel as they work to pay for all of us to complete college. My parents have always been very supportive of all of us. They taught me to always work hard to stand out.
I grew up in rural Indiana. My earliest memories are of my family’s farm. Because of the love for agriculture that my family planted within me, I have found my home in agriculturally related organizations. As a ten-year 4H member, I served as President of my township club for three consecutive years. Exhibiting pigs at the county 4H fair led to my involvement in my county’s Livestock Evaluation Team. As a member of this team, I was exposed to FFA and immediately knew I belonged in that particular organization. I spent countless hours after school in my school’s agricultural building preparing for national competitions, chapter events, and building relationships with my peers in FFA.
During my first two years of college, I attended Lake-Sumter State College, a local “state” college in Florida with campuses in three locations – Leesburg, Clermont, and Sumterville. This college is primarily known for its low costs for students who wish to stay local and complete their first two years of credits. With the development of its first bachelor’s program a few years ago, this community college became a state college, but most still think of it as a community college. I discovered that community college can be a rewarding experience both in and outside the classroom if you take the time to explore what’s out there.
I found a variety of helpful resources in the people and places at this community college/state college.
People Resources
The professors and the dedication they had for their subjects. I attended many office hours to review material, which was especially helpful for my science courses in anatomy and physiology! Those courses were not easy, but having a teacher who knew how to teach difficult material in a simplistic manner made an incredible difference. My favorite instructor out of all of my teachers from LSSC was Dr. Urquhart. She told stories about how psychology related to life and engaged students in the conversation. Although her class was challenging, I found it to be a wonderful experience.
The librarians. They were extremely devoted to helping students with their essays, and they were especially known for their skills in formatting papers!
The Learning Center (LC) scheduled specific professors and students to help others with their class assignments. I went to the LC for almost every English paper I had.
The Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Career ServicesCenter offered sessions with a local provider at no cost. I used the Career Center to find resources that helped me make my decision for my major.
Other Resources
Extracurricular activities made my college experience at LSSC more rewarding too, including volunteer and study abroad opportunities. I volunteered to help a local non-profit sponsor a prom event for high school girls.
Campus facilities. My favorite spot on the main campus was the nature trail. Most students didn’t even know that the campus has one! I loved to be able to retreat to the trail and be alone in nature. The walk helped me clear my head and just enjoy the outdoors.
For students who choose to get involved and work hard, there are many opportunities for success at community colleges like Lake Sumter. If students are willing to make an effort, they are more likely to get much more out of the experience.
