Bottom Line

Rebeca, Worcester State University, ’16

My name is Rebeca and I live in Worcester, Massachusetts with my mom, brother, and two sisters. I grew up in a loving home with a mom who worked long hours in order to ensure we had everything we needed. I remember when we were younger she would get us ready for school before the sun was up and drop us off at my aunt’s house so that she could get to work.

My mom worked hard and made it her mission in life to make sure her children would have the opportunities she didn’t. 

When I was 12 my mom got engaged and together they started planning a future for our family. Our plan was to move to Connecticut and buy a house. My mom would get married and we would be one big happy family. She worked hard as a manager at McDonalds and with two incomes, the future looked bright. But when I was 13 everything we had planned fell apart on us. My mom was in a terrible car accident where she sustained serious injuries. She had been driving with her fiancé who did not survive.

My world was turned upside down. My mom needed around the clock care and couldn’t do anything on her own. We eventually had to move out of my childhood home. With the cost of medical bills and without my mom working we could no longer afford to make the rent payments. This was when we decided to move to Worcester to be closer to family. My mom eventually recovered and was able to return to work. Despite all of the challenges we had gone through, she still hoped for the very best for us and would constantly remind us of the importance of getting a good education. It was her mission to at least see us graduate from high school, something she wasn’t able to do.

My mom’s strength and endurance during this difficult time encouraged me to focus on my own future and my determination to go to college so that I could help support my family.

I sought out Bottom Line’s help when I was in high school because I knew I wanted to go to college, but didn’t know how to get there. I met with my guidance counselor at school, but I knew I would need more individualized support. My Bottom Line counselor, Ginette helped me with the college process throughout the year, and I grew to trust her opinion a lot. Ginette helped me navigate some pretty tough decisions and guided me towards the a financially responsible option. I decided to attend Quinsigamond Community College, and in May 2013, I graduated with an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Bottom Line then helped me transfer to Worcester State University where I am currently pursuing my Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Visual and Performing Arts.

Transferring to Worcester State University was not as easy of a transition as I thought it would be. My counselor, Kira, helped me prepare for this transition and encouraged me to visit the school and learn where all of my classes were so I wouldn’t get lost on the first day. It was difficult balancing my time with studying, friends, and work. Things didn’t come as naturally for me as they did when I was at community college. I felt lonely and overwhelmed. I went from a smaller community college where I knew my classmates to a larger school where I didn’t feel like I knew anyone, but Kira helped introduce me to other Bottom Line students at my school. Kira and Bottom Line were always available to answer my questions and made me feel like I had a strong support network. They also sent care packages with snacks, a gift and a card to say something along the lines of ‘hang in there, you can do it!’ The care package always seems to come right when it’s needed the most.

This past spring semester was particularly difficult. Towards the end of the semester, life at home was extremely complicated and it began to affect my classes. It seemed like one bad thing was happening after another. Our family was facing some financial challenges and the electricity was turned off at my house for a couple of weeks. Then, in the midst of this darkness our house was robbed and my favorite camera was stolen. I remember feeling very unsafe at home and overwhelmed by my coursework. I felt on edge and remember waking up throughout the night startled by noises. Kira was the first person I reached out to when this had happened. It was difficult to focus on my classes after this and I wanted to withdraw from a challenging class, but Kira wouldn’t let me. She told me that it was only a few more weeks until that semester was over, and that I could make it through. Looking back, I’m glad Kira made me stick with it and I received a C+. I am very proud of the C+ because I thought I was going to fail.

With Bottom Line’s support I was able to keep focused on my goals and learn how to balance what I was experiencing in my personal life with my schoolwork.

In addition to helping me with classes and financial aid, Bottom Line helped me apply to a service trip in Nicaragua, which was an experience that helped open up the world to me and made me realize how important education is to understanding other cultures. While I was in Nicaragua, I was able to gain hands-on experience working with children teaching English, working at a clinic and teaching pre-school. I realized how much I love to help others learn and challenge myself to see things through another person’s perspective.

Growing up, my Mom’s goal for all of us was to make sure we finished high school so that we would have access to better opportunities than she did. With Bottom Line’s support I am two years away from being the first in my family to graduate from college. When I walk across the stage to accept my diploma, I will be accepting it on behalf of my family, my community and generations to come.

Having a college degree is an incredible opportunity, but Bottom Line has taught me that it is also a responsibility. I want to be an educator so that I can help make it a little bit easier for the next generation. I recognize the impotent role education has played in my life and I know that I have a responsibility to those who will come after me. Thank you to my family, friends and Bottom Line who have made it possible for me to pursue a brighter future for my community.

This speech was given at the 6th Annual Get In, Graduate and Go Far Reception in October, 2014.