It has been a sincere joy watching Stefanie thrive and grow in her roles within our organization this year and it’s with HUGE pride that we say “congratulations Stefanie! You did it!” Stefanie is graduating this spring, and is the world in for a treat when Stefanie steps into a full-time position in the human services profession! Stefanie has been pivotal in our organization’s success in incorporating social media as a resource our families can access. She has also been a mentor with us for Financial Aid events, at Lynden High School students, and helping out wherever she is most needed. When the pandemic hit, Stefanie was flexible and found creative ways to get information to our families, and has been a champion of accessible information sharing as the leader of our social media team. Stefanie is a person that leaves you feeling more whole and loved after spending time with her, as if she sees the best parts of your soul and reflects them back to you. It’s qualities like these and more that assure us that she will make a deep impact wherever she lands. We sat down with Stefanie to talk more about this giant milestone and get her thoughts on everything from feelings of completion to next steps. We are so excited to cheer on Stefanie as she takes her next steps into her career and know we will see the wake of her impact in our community for years to come.
Q: First of all, how does it feel to have reached this huge accomplishment?
Unreal, I’m in tears even just thinking about the fact that I’ve made it.
Q: What advice would you give other students who are either thinking about college or in the process of completing a degree?
As a first-generation student of color, these systems aren’t always made for us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fight them. You know yourself better than anyone else, advocate for yourself and for your beliefs. No lie, some days or even weeks are going to be so challenging and mentally draining and you’re going to want to give up. Heck, you’ll probably think about dropping out at least 5 times within however long it takes to complete your program. BUT YOU GOT THIS. YOU CAN DO THIS. Find what makes you happy and build off that.
Q: What did you wish you would have known as you navigated higher education?
Use your first quarter as a practice and see what learning styles you enjoy! Figure out how your brain best processes information and create those good study habits. Also, try and find a good outlet for you to unwind! Allow yourself at least one hour a day to work out, dance around to music, art, time to yourself, whatever it may be. In your first quarter, try and join some clubs if you can too! Coming from a Mexican background where interdependence is culturally ingrained versus most Western cultures of individualism, I found so much support starting my junior year of college when I had more P.O.C friends who connected with the struggle of in a sense feeling like you left your family behind. Or even being the first in your family to navigate all these new systems, it's a lot, find those you can relate to and create a community with.
Q: How did completing your Financial Aid application help you reach your goals?
Even if you don’t think you’ll get any money, APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID. Financial aid can help alleviate some of the pressure in paying for tuition and housing (as well as school supplies, technology, equipment-if needed for specific programs). Trust me, I’ve lost my financial aid in some quarters due to bad grades and it is such a game-changer when you don’t have to work 40 hours to support yourself. Plus applying for financial aid makes you eligible for some scholarships and grants, another form of financial funding. A few tips I have is to create budgets for yourself, don’t buy textbooks from the school but rather see if your school or program offers book exchanges, even ask fellow classmates in your program if they have books from previous courses.
Q: What will you miss the most about college?
Being in the Human Services program! I’ve learned the most about myself being a part of this program’s community. I felt so inspired by all my classmates and felt like I belonged there.
Q: What is a favorite memory you have from your time at FuturesNW?
Our weekly team meetings for sure! I loved seeing everyone through zoom and hearing about all the projects they're working on. Plus we just created such a tight-knit community that I felt so safe and comfortable with which I think is important to have in college.
I also loved the virtual financial aid events in the fall! It gave the opportunity for families to attend virtually rather than in person which some may have not had the opportunity to do. It helped eliminate barriers and offer multiple opportunities for families to get support with filling out FAFSA and FAFSA applications.
Q: What’s your next chapter looking like?
A lot of exploring! I’ll be staying at my restaurant job for the next couple of months while I take the time to myself that I need. A lot of my summer will be spent hiking, hanging out with my family, and planning for my next steps. Down the road, I’d love to look for jobs working with students in a high school or college setting.
