Bottom Line

Katia Aguilar 

This summer, I was granted the opportunity to work as the Development Team Intern at the Chicago Bottom Line office. Initially, I was hesitant about accepting the position.  When I envisioned communications work, fundraising didn’t primarily come to mind. Nevertheless, I accepted and found out along the way that development is important to communication and company satisfaction. 

I had minimal expectations for my first week of work as an intern as this position would technically be my first time interning at a bigger company and for a nonprofit organization. I decided to go in without expectations and see what the working environment would be like. I was glad that everyone treated me as part of the team.  I felt very welcomed and appreciated; there really wasn’t any point throughout my time as an intern at which I felt singled out. I was also extremely fortunate to get to work with such an amazing team that made me feel included and supported. I was able to learn a lot throughout my time as a development intern. It really made me appreciate and enjoy coming to work every week. 

I learned a lot of new and useful skills that I have been able to implement currently towards public relations and media campaigns course. These skills will also be beneficial for me as I move forward in my career journey. Some of the projects I was included in were grant management, in which I assisted our Director of Development in organizing a program that would bring structure to our grant and gift giving system and visualize due dates and amount distributions.  

I also worked with the Development Coordinator on creative and strategic improvement projects for the Bottom Line Chicago Marathon team. I was tasked with graphic design projects that would help the runners raise funds to help Bottom Line continue providing their services to students. Collectively, my collaterals made up a media tool kit for our marathon team to use. This toolkit consists of templates for Instagram stories, Facebook posts, custom QR codes, and a digital postcard to send out for outreach. By giving me the chance to curate digital content for a nonprofit event, I was able to expand my graphic design and digital marketing skills. 

I was also asked to reflect on my experience of being part of the Bottom Line Student Ambassador Program. My feedback and perspective as a student were critical in breathing new life and improving the structure of the existing program. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to help organize data and create Google maps that demarcate the population of students that Bottom Line serves. These maps aid in gaining a better understanding of our network and in evaluating how many students are currently enrolled and benefitting from our services. Lastly, I assisted our head of Development with organizing donor data to better see who our donor population is and where our gifts and grants are coming from. This was really helpful in showing me that the relationship that a company has with its supporters is equally as important as the relationship with the people who use the services, especially in the case of a nonprofit organization like Bottom Line.  

All of the experiences I had during my internship have given me new skills that I can now confidently utilize going forward in the future as I continue to shape my career. This summer has given me a new perspective on what I am considering in terms of my career as I am now more confident in my analytical and data processing skills and have opened my network of opportunities to expand beyond just the creative fields of communication. I am extremely grateful for the time that I spent doing this internship and the skills that I gained as a result. I now look forward to graduating this upcoming spring and hopefully my goal of working as an editor for a publishing house.  

“It’s not just an advisor-student relationship; it’s a relationship where you can really open up about your experience.”

These were the sentiments of Marilyn, a student in Bottom Line’s Success program.

Marilyn was thriving academically last semester. Her desire to help and protect those around her and her interest in an action-oriented career came together in her study of criminal justice and her dream of becoming a detective after graduation. Her college environment, however, left her feeling isolated and concerned about her finances. A studious and motivated student, Marilyn struggled with finding like-minded friends at her college, which had a prevalent party scene dominated by Greek Life, which was cost-prohibitive for her. The social isolation was exacerbated by financial worries. Due to limited and unreliable transportation, finding part-time work to supplement her financial aid was difficult.

Marilyn was at a crossroads. While she was eager to continue her education, she knew the college she was attending wasn’t the right fit for her. Despite feeling socially isolated on campus, she knew that she didn’t have to face these challenges alone. Marilyn met with her Bottom Line advisor regularly, and together they discussed different ways she could overcome the challenges she was facing.

After much deliberation, Marilyn chose to transfer to Harold Washington College. Marilyn worked closely with her Bottom Line advisor to create a project-management timeline of everything she needed to complete to ensure the transfer went smoothly. Marilyn felt confident knowing that she could schedule regular meetings with her advisor through every step of the transfer process, from ensuring that she had the financial aid to transfer to Harold Washington College, to ensuring the classes she registered for would count toward her criminal justice major. Together, they worked tirelessly to ensure Marilyn stayed on track to achieve her educational and future career goals.

Today, Marilyn is thriving academically, emotionally, and socially. At Harold Washington College, Marilyn has found a diverse group of supportive friends that make her feel a part of her college community. Not only is it a more affordable college choice, its location in the Chicago Loop has also made finding part-time work far more accessible for her. Marilyn is inspired by her professors and classes that provide the mental rigor she craves. Rejuvenated by her new educational environment, she is excited to continue exploring the criminal justice field.

Marilyn partnered with Bottom Line to ensure she had the practical and emotional support she needed to transfer to a college that would be the best fit for her to be successful. After completing her Associate’s Degree, Bottom Line will continue to work with Marilyn in her pursuit of a career in law enforcement by supporting her through her Bachelor’s Degree and helping her select a university for her Master’s Degree.

Baruch College, Class of 2020

Shaffiou is a senior at Baruch College who has been in Bottom Line’s program since his first year of college. Shaffiou is an economics major who hopes to pursue a career in finance and – eventually – politics.

He says that his Bottom Line advisors have helped him significantly throughout his time in college, particularly in terms of managing his time, doing well in his classes, and finding internship and job opportunities to pursue.

“Because of my experience with Bottom Line, I have a strong foundation and I am ahead of the game.  And I am just one of the thousands of students they coach, mentor and support.”

His college experience has certainly been a busy one. Shaffiou has held multiple internships and leadership roles. He has also been honored recently as a Forbes Under 30 scholar, signifying his strong record of achievement in academics/leadership/etc., and he has been invited to attend the Cox-State Department Diplomacy Seminar, at which he will explore possible careers in politics and diplomacy.

His internship as a financial analyst with Prudential offered him exciting opportunities to stretch himself professionally – he was tasked with re-working one of the systems Prudential Capital Group (PCG) uses for financial modeling, and though he found the job challenging, and did not know how to approach it at first, he persevered and came up with a new system that the company is now using. He gained significant new critical thinking and data analysis skills through the experience and is already planning to return to Prudential for a follow-up internship next summer.

Shaffiou also attended the Summer Venture in Management Program this past summer, designed to give students from communities who are underrepresented at Harvard a crash course in the type of work done at their business school. Shaffiou spent a week engaging with other students on how to solve complicated problems in project management, strategic planning, etc. He gained a great deal from the experience and is currently weighing his options for applying to Harvard Business School directly out of undergrad.

University of Illinois at Chicago, Class of 2022

As early as elementary school, Alicia’s classmates were pulled into dangerous lifestyles that offered little hope for positive futures. Alicia didn’t want that for herself, and she doesn’t want that for the generations coming after her. “That was the catalyst in me wanting to be involved in criminal justice.”

Alicia is currently a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Chicago and is working toward a degree in criminology with a minor in public policy and psychology.

Ultimately, Alicia would like to be a change-maker in her community – supporting Chicago by helping to keep children out of the correctional system, and by offering guidance and opportunities to those who already are.

Her work in this area is impressive. She currently visits her previous elementary school and works with students through band practice and writing exercises. She believes in using the arts to help teach children motivation, as well as how to set and achieve goals. This mentorship is one of her own creation. Alicia reached out to her old band teacher to ask if there were any opportunities to work with the students – so the school invited to visit when she can, based on her own schedule. “I know what my peers were up against at their age, and I just want to help keep them on the right road.”

Alicia joined Bottom Line as a Success student at the recommendation of her friend, who had gone through the Access program.

While Alicia knows what problem she wants to solve with her career, she’s still exploring the best way to do that. Her advisor has played a significant role in that. She challenges Alicia to be creative and think of all the different avenues she could take to make a change, and what she’d have to do to excel in those different avenues.

“I’m looking at all the different ways I can attack this problem and see which way my skill set and interests can best fit in.”

So far, that line of thinking has helped Alicia into two very different, and eye-opening, internships. With help from her advisor, Alicia has interned with the City Clerk’s office and is currently interning with the Department of Corrections.

At the City Clerk’s office, Alicia was able to see how she could effect change from an institutional standpoint. And, now, she is learning how to make a change on the ground, with individuals already in the system.

Alicia interviews juveniles coming out of Cook County Department of Corrections to see which services they are eligible for upon release. Depending on their eligibility, she then works with them to help get that ball rolling, so they have a plan in place when they are released.

“It’s tough to prepare yourself when you’re going into one of the biggest DOCs in the state, but I’m more motivated than ever. Not only am I learning about prevention, but I’m learning about what happens when crime prevention isn’t there or doesn’t work and what that means for the individuals who are affected.”

This internship lasts for the entire academic year, and she is very excited to learn more and gain more perspective.

“I am looking forward to simply being able to work with people in that environment. It is difficult working in the jail because you see things that not everyone talks about, and I am interested in becoming more aware of what goes on inside the jail. While I am working for a research project, I want to make sure I see these gentlemen as more than just a number or statistic in our research.”

Bottom Line has helped Alicia gain access to these opportunities – by sharing the opportunities, supporting Alicia as she fills out applications, and helping her with the interviewing process.

“The most important thing my advisors have given me is their support. They’ve always been so enthusiastic about exploring opportunities. They’ve been cheerleaders for me.”

For Alicia, a college degree is giving her the freedom to explore her interests and honor her family. “This isn’t just for me, but to thank my family for all they’ve given up for me. Leaving your home and all you know to give your children a better chance is one of the most selfless things you can do. I owe my parents my success.”

One of the most significant barriers to college completion is cost. For students who come from low-income backgrounds, the cost of college can seem impossible.

College affordability is a more significant barrier for Black and Latino students than for other students. Recent research shows that 49% of Black students and 36% of Latino students defaulted on their college loans at least once throughout 12 years, compared to only 21% of White students and 11% of Asian students. Black and Latino students also had higher college loan balances over time than other students. Black students owed an average of 113% of the amount initially borrowed after 12 years, and Latino students owe an average of 83% while White students owed just 65%.

JPMorgan Chase and Bottom Line are working together to combat these barriers. JPMorgan Chase’s The Fellowship Initiative (TFI) is a program that supports the educational development of Black and Latino young men from low-income communities in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. As a college access and persistence organization, Bottom Line is well-positioned to support these young men in persisting through college.

One of the young men that Bottom Line and TFI are working with is Carlos Garcia Jr.

I am currently a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Chicago pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing with a goal of becoming a certified nursing assistant. I plan to pursue a career as a triage nurse and ultimately become a nurse practitioner. As a junior in high school, I volunteered at a hospital, shadowing different staff members throughout their day. Being in healthcare is a big deal because of the time and dedication the doctors and nurses put in to help the people they’re caring for. Their commitment is what influenced me to choose a career in healthcare.

Growing up in the Back of the Yards on the South Side of Chicago, I didn’t see college as an option for me. I never thought I would be going to college. I figured I would work after high school because few people in my community pursued a postsecondary degree.

In Back of the Yards, about 30 percent of its population lives below the poverty line, according to a 2013 analysis. The neighborhood is part of the New City community, where about a third of the population over 25 is without a high school diploma and half of the residents between the ages of 20 and 24 are unemployed.

I was able to look at the real world at a young age and saw what was going on in my community. I saw the violence that was occurring and didn’t want to live that life. I wasn’t the smartest student in the class, but I wanted to be different. I had a dream to fulfill my potential.

I attended Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy. The school may have lacked material resources (if a class had books, they were only used in class and returned immediately after), but it certainly excelled in building a motivating, involved, and influential community.

Athletics helped shape me into who I am today. I was the captain for both the Soccer and Track and Field team all four years. I’m thankful to my coaches for helping me develop my leadership skills through athletics. No matter what the outcome of the games or meets were, they were committed to supporting the team both as a group and individually. During my senior year of high school, I received the “Athlete of the Year” award. My coaches and teammates pushed me to do better every day, and they saw the potential I had to lead others. Being a captain helped with my communication skills and created lifelong bonds. I found my voice; I went from being quiet to being able to motivate and inspire my peers.

The community of peers and mentors at school helped motivate me to pursue college. My Math, Science, and Spanish teachers believed in me and always drove me to do better. Because of them, I became dedicated to my academics. When I was struggling in class, I went to them after school for help.  I’m so grateful for the time that they dedicated to me. The people I met in high school brought out the best in me. I’m thankful for my guidance counselor for helping me find the path to where I am today. I owe a lot of my success to her because if she didn’t help me fill out my application for TFI, I wouldn’t have navigated my way to college. She helped me fill it out last minute and encouraged me to pursue higher education.

TFI changed my mindset; they helped make going to college a reality. Three Saturdays a month, I met with TFI. Being in a community of 40 Latino and Black young men who were all working toward the same goal made a huge impact. We spent the entire day focusing on strengthening our academic skills and learning about social justice issues, all connecting to how we could make a difference in our communities. When we started to get our acceptance letters, we cheered each other on because it was a huge accomplishment and it showed our hard work was paying off. Rudy Lozano, the current VP of The Fellowship Initiative, helped us speak up and find our voice. He changed each of us. With the support of TFI and the Chance Program, I was able to obtain a scholarship which is helping pay for school.

Since graduating from the TFI program, Carlos has gone back and works with the second cohort of TFI students. He now works with Rudy as a colleague. Rudy watched Carlos grow from a shy boy with a dream to a successful young man who is making it happen.

“TFI gave Carlos confidence. He’s always been determined but started off in a shy quiet way of doing that. Now, he’s much more willing and longing to get in front of others to inspire them. He has no limits in terms of his public speaking and getting in front of an audience to share his experiences and support students and their parents.”

Rudy worked closely with Carlos and his family during his time with TFI. While Carlos faced a lot of obstacles, “you wouldn’t know from him that he has just as many struggles and hardships as other students. He has a strength that allows him to persevere through any struggles that may be going on. He’s a leader in his home. He’s a leader in his family. He’s a leader in his community.”

Being a fellow with TFI has also given Carlos access to the Bottom Line program.

TFI connected me with Bottom Line which is helping me move forward with college. Jarred, my Bottom Line advisor is an older brother figure in my life. Jarred’s responsiveness lets me know he has my back. Instead of telling me what to do, Jarred gives me options and supports whatever decision I make. Jarred’s pep talks motivate me to keep trying, even when it seems impossible. With this type of communication, I am able to manage my life in college and plan accordingly.

I’ve seen many of my peers drop out of college. It’s hard because they don’t have someone to talk to the way I do. If something is going on, I can speak with Jarred.

“Carlos has been an inspiration to work with. Driven to succeed, he’s always aiming for the top. When things get challenging, I make sure we take the time to step back and look at the bigger picture. This gives us a chance to highlight his goals, anticipate the obstacles ahead, and plan accordingly. He’s taken an increasingly proactive role on campus and is beginning to distinguish himself as a leader among his peers. I see him continuing to grow into that role as he nears graduation,” said Jarred.

At one point I wasn’t going to be able to pay my tuition but Jarred worked with me to find a way to make it work. Education is expensive, and if it weren’t for Bottom Line’s help, I would probably be working more hours and possibly getting lower grades because the classes are just getting harder and I need more time studying.

I’ve been able to focus more on academics now that the stress of securing financial aid has been alleviated, and as a result, I’ve seen my GPA go from a 2.7 to a 3.2.

My community is my motivation for me to give it my all in college. I don’t want to let anyone down because everyone invested a lot in me. As a fellow, I’m grateful for the support that JPMorgan and Bottom Line offer me. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’m thankful for all the resources that both programs provided because it indeed can change the life of a young man.

The support of my parents also pushed me to succeed. Both of my parents are immigrants, and I’m the first one to go to college and the first one to be in this position. I want to make them proud.

Carlos is the oldest of three, and he hopes that his success will inspire his younger siblings to seek out similar opportunities to grow, learn, and succeed. His younger brother is now a member of TFI and is following in Carlos’ footsteps.

Alcoa executives and Bottom Line students who attended the career event

Every year, January turns into “career month” for our college students at Bottom Line – New York. This month, there were a variety of career events for our nearly 800 college students to attend while they were home on break. In addition to the Go Far Forum, our signature career readiness event that is held annually, we offered a number of smaller career events at the offices of our corporate partners.

One of those events took place at Alcoa, a global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and manufacturing. Alcoa CFO Bill Oplinger, a Bottom Line – New York Board member, kicked off the event by reminding students that “where you start won’t be where you end up,” encouraging students to consider jobs that they might not originally have thought about and to stretch themselves professionally – a theme that his colleagues echoed throughout the day.

To learn more about one student’s impressions and takeaways, read Bottom Line student Shaquille Bent’s account of the day and how he plans to apply what he learned at the Alcoa career event going forward.

Name:  Shaquille Bent

College: SUNY Buffalo State

College Year: Senior

You’ve been to a few career events with Bottom Line now – how did this one compare to past ones you’ve attended?

This one with Alcoa was extraordinary. In a way, it was more hands-on because we got to interact one-on-one with senior executives at Alcoa from very different departments and hear about their career path. It was unique because I got personal feedback on things that I did well and things that I can improve on during that one-on-one career coaching.

Shaq receiving one-on-one career coaching from one of our Alcoa volunteers

What were some of your favorite parts of the career event at Alcoa?

I did research before the event because I had not previously heard of Alcoa. So, it was great to learn more about a company that I didn’t know about before. I really enjoyed hearing about people’s career paths, and I learned that what you study in college does not necessarily determine what type of job you get. My favorite part was the one-on-one conversation with Guru (an Alcoa employee), because he had a similar career path to the one I want. He studied mechanical engineering; I’m studying industrial technology. He also has a MBA, and I’m interested in obtaining one too.

What was the most intimidating or most challenging part of the event for you?

I don’t feel like there was a really intimidating part because Bottom Line has helped me really prepare for events like these. If I were still a freshman, I probably would have been much shyer and not known how to interact with everyone. I definitely wanted to make a good impression on the Alcoa executives, though!

What were some of your key takeaways?

First, I remember Sue (another volunteer from Alcoa) saying how important it was to “make sure you stretch yourself and go after all opportunities.” Guru said the same thing – to look into opportunities outside of the state where you live, to be flexible, to take risks, and do things out of the ordinary. All of the Alcoa employees that we met with have achieved professional success; they inspired me to want the same for myself.

Second, Daniel from Alcoa said that you need to find mentors and keep relationships alive. That was really important for me too. I feel like I’ve started to do that, but I’ve struggled with how to keep the relationship alive. They gave us some specific examples for what to do, like sending an email every now and then just to check in, so that you can build “a repository of advocates” as Daniel said.

What types of careers are you considering, and how did this event help you prepare for them?

I’m thinking long-term about becoming a project director or project manager. Right out of college, I think I want to be an analyst somewhere and gain experience in the business world. I can then interact with professionals as well as other project managers and learn from them. Down the line, I also want an MBA.

This event helped me prepare for that by learning about other successful business professionals’ career paths. They shared their stories about how they got to where they are. They all had very different paths, so I realized that you have to be open to all opportunities because you never know where they might lead.

Any advice for students who are graduating from college soon and starting to make plans for their careers?

One thing that I’ve learned throughout my college career is that you have to network. Networking can open up a whole range of opportunities that you never thought existed.

You also have to find mentors and keep the relationship alive. You can learn a lot from mentors because they have lots of experience and the knowledge that they share with you can help you find a career.

This year, Bottom Line-New York placed 50 of our college students in summer internships at a variety of corporate and non-profit partners. Internships provide a unique opportunity for our students to develop professional skills and build their professional networks. All of the internships were paid or subsidized by generous funders. We’re so grateful to each of the companies and organizations that made this possible, including: BRIC, Children’s Law Center, Citizen Schools, The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Community Voices Heard, Hot Bread Kitchen, iMentor, The Innocence Project, The Jed Foundation, The Jewish Museum, JUMA Ventures, Methodist Hospital, New Teacher Center, Partnership for After School Education (PASE), People.Co, Safe Horizon, Sapient, Start Elevator, and Viacom.

Below, Kassandra Rosales, a rising third-year student at SUNY Albany, explains what she did this summer and what she learned from her time at Sapient, one of Bottom Line’s corporate partners.

Kassandra Rosales interned at Sapient, one of Bottom Line’s corporate partners.

Name:  Kassandra Rosales

College: SUNY Albany

College Year: Third

Tell us about Sapient and what you worked on there this summer:

Sapient is a consulting firm that works with other companies like tech companies, retail companies, car companies, banks, etc. They help them develop strategies in order to improve their company’s performance – now or 5 years from now.

For my first project, I worked on the finance team. I was inputting data from media plans, contracts and invoices into “wrap-up sheets” for Sapient’s clients. This allowed Sapient to keep track of how much they were paid and how much they spent for each client. If Sapient used less than the amount in the contract, the company could decide if they wanted that balance back or to use it for another project.

For my second project, I worked in the talent department. I used their talent databases to input information about each candidate and feedback from any interviews. I also did research to find recruiting agencies that focused on the specific careers that Sapient was looking to hire for.

What were the 2-3 skills that were most important for your work this summer?

First, I needed communication skills. There were a lot of things that were new to me so I had to communicate with my supervisor if I didn’t understand something or wanted to be sure that I was doing the work correctly. We had meetings every few days to check in on my progress.

Second, I became a lot more familiar with Excel. Most of my work was done on Excel, and I didn’t have a lot of experience with it before this internship.

Third, I needed researching skills. I learned a lot about where to look, the importance of knowing what specifically I’m looking for, and how to pull out key information when doing research.

What was the best part of your time at Sapient? Biggest challenge you faced?

I really enjoyed the finance work and meeting the employees at Sapient. There were all really nice and I loved hearing about how they got to where they are. For instance, maybe they majored in something totally different than what they do at Sapient. I also enjoyed being in a corporate environment because I’ve worked in schools and non-profits before.

My biggest challenge was a specific assignment – the research project. I hadn’t done a lot of research prior to this job and wanted to make sure that I was completing the project correctly. I spoke with Angela, my manager, before I started the work and she helped me break it down and set up a spreadsheet to organize the information that I was finding. Then I would check-in a few times during the project to make sure I was on the right track. Another Bottom Line intern was doing similar work, so I was able to talk to her as well.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would spend more time getting to know people on different teams at Sapient and learn more about what they do. I feel like I didn’t network as much as I wanted to and so I’d do that more next time around.

Any advice for students who are starting to think about internships for next summer?

Definitely do research on the companies that you would like to intern for, talk to peers who might know more about the companies, and practice your communication and Excel skills now. And, when you’re looking into jobs, be open-minded and flexible.

Nearly 100% of Bottom Line high school seniors from Boston and Worcester have been accepted to college and more than two-thirds of these students will be attending one of our Success colleges.

In the interview below, Tommy Suen, a current senior at the John D. O’Bryant High School in Boston, explains how his Bottom Line counselor, Laura, helped him get into college and why he’s looking forward to having Bottom Line’s support once he starts college in the fall.

Tommy and his Bottom Line Counselor, Laura

Name: Tommy Suen
High School: John D. O’Bryant
College Attending: Boston University

Why did you apply to Bottom Line last spring?

My older brother was a Bottom Line student, so from the time I was a freshman in high school he kept telling me that I had to sign up for Bottom Line. He would say, “if it weren’t for Bottom Line, I never would have gotten into college,” so I always knew how important it would be to have Bottom Line’s help applying to college. I also knew I wouldn’t have a lot of help navigating the application process at home. My mom really wanted me to go to college, but she had never been through the process before.

Can you describe how your Bottom Line counselor, Laura, supported you this year?

Laura was a huge help! It made a huge difference to be able to have individualized support throughout the application process. For a long time, I thought that I was Laura’s only student. I was shocked to learn that she was actually working with fifty other students like me; she was just always available to help me.

When I first started the college application process I struggled a lot with organization. There are so many things to remember and I was having a particularly hard time writing my college essay. Laura really helped me organize my thoughts and after several drafts I emerged with a college essay I was really proud of. She also helped me analyze my financial aid award letters and helped me choose a school that was both affordable and a good fit. Laura always went above and beyond, she even helped me get the part-time job I have working at Bottom Line’s front desk. I have worked at Bottom Line for a year, and I have noticed that all of the counselors really go above and beyond to help support students.

May 1^st was College Decision Day. Where will you be attending college next year? How did you feel when you found out you got into college?

I applied to nine colleges and I was so nervous that I wouldn’t get in anywhere. I was so excited and relieved when I found out that I had been accepted to my first choice, Boston University and it would be affordable for me to go there. It was so rewarding to have all of my hard work from high school pay off in that moment.

That must be a relief! How are you and your family feeling about college now?

I am the youngest in my family and my mom worried a lot about whether or not I would get into college. She was so proud of me when she found out I had been accepted to Boston University that she dropped everything she was doing and took me out to eat in order to celebrate. Both of my brothers went to Boston University, so they are very excited to have the legacy carried on.

Are you excited about staying connected to Bottom Line? What are you looking forward to the most next year?

Yes! I am looking forward to staying connected to Bottom Line and having a counselor visit me on campus. Living away from home for the first time and having to manage my own schedule is going to be a huge transition. I am pretty nervous about balancing everything next year, but it makes me feel better knowing that Bottom Line will continue to be there for me. I am really looking forward to meeting new people on campus and taking classes in business, accounting and finance.

What would you tell a high school student who is just starting the college application process with Bottom Line?

Don’t take your Bottom Line counselor for granted. Listen to your counselor’s advice and be prepared to edit your college essay several times. Oh, also, your Bottom Line counselor works with 49 other students, but you would never know it.

This winter, Bottom Line-New York counselors have already helped over 250 of our high school students submit their financial aid applications. Financial aid can be daunting for any student – there are many steps in the process, with various tax documents and specific forms needed along the way. For perspective on some of the financial aid challenges that one student encountered and the ways that she worked with her Bottom Line counselor to overcome them, read Valeria’s account below.

  Name:  Valeria Inamagua

  High School: Talent Unlimited HS

  Number of Colleges Applied To: 17

  Top Choices: SUNY Stonybrook, Syracuse, and Swarthmore

  Why did you apply to Bottom Line last spring?

My mother wanted to help me with college applications, but she cannot because she didn’t go through the process herself and she doesn’t speak English. When I heard about Bottom Line, I immediately wanted to join. In the future, I want to be a role model for my younger sister, both by going to college and by helping her when she starts applying for college.

What was the hardest or most surprising part about the financial aid process so far?

My father doesn’t live with us and so I had to keep reaching out to ask him for information. I didn’t realize that colleges were going to ask for that, but they did and it was challenging. On top of that, I kept getting different requests for different forms from different schools in addition to the FAFSA and CSS.

What’s one way that your BL counselor has helped you with financial aid?

Jonathan went through the details in each application and each form. He didn’t just tell me what to write; he explained what each form meant and why they were asking for this information. I feel like it’s important that students know what they’re filling out. It’s going to pop up in the future and I need to know what to do after this year.

One piece of advice for students currently filling out financial aid:

To have all important documents ready in advance (even the ones that you don’t think they’ll ask for), so that you can input the information all at one time.

Hola,

As many of you know, I am a Bottom Line student. This means that I come from a low income household, I am the first in my family or from the first generation of my family to attend college, and I earned at least a 2.5 GPA in high school. Like the majority of Bottom Line students, I am considered a minority* student. Why am I mentioning this? Because many minority students tend to hold back from the study abroad experience. There is plenty of research proving this to be true. Trust me: if studying abroad is really what you want to do, then you can make it happen regardless of the obstacles that we face as minority students!

A year ago, my Bottom Line counselor told me that her brother did some research on minority college students going abroad. The research showed that not many of us actually went through with it. As soon as the meeting with my counselor was over, I quickly headed back to my dorm room and started researching. The research I found showed that only a limited number of African-American and Hispanic/Latino students actually studied in a foreign country (here’s results from one study). I was very skeptical of the research that had been compiled throughout the years; when I was applying to study abroad, many other Holy Cross minority students were applying to the program too. A couple of months later, almost all of my fellow classmates were accepted into the various programs. However, as I sit here in my house in Spain, the majority of the minority Holy Cross students who dreamed of going abroad are still at home.

You may wonder, “Well, maybe they just couldn’t afford to go abroad.” Then how was I able to come abroad even though I come from a low-income family? You may then think, “Maybe their major did not allow them.” I am a double major and completing a concentration and I did it! Yes, some majors or tracks make it much more difficult to go abroad (i.e. Premed, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Political Science), but 3 premed students, 2 chemistry majors, 1 political science major, and 1 economics major are currently studying in Spain with me. Do you see what I mean? Studying abroad is very possible! Of course, difficult family or financial circumstances may arise last minute that can hinder our chances of going abroad. However, although us minority students face our own unique set of challenges, I am living proof that studying abroad is possible.

College of the Holy Cross students currently studying in Spain.

If YOU are interested in going abroad and have no serious reasons not to then YOU totally should! Seek out information and resources at your college’s Study Abroad Office or ALANA Cultural Center. Talk to your academic advisor about how you can meet your major requirements while studying abroad. Look for funding that can help you pay for the study abroad experience (the Gilman Scholarship Program is a popular one). Find someone who can help you pick a suitable program and navigate the study abroad process. We all need to come together and start changing the statistics, one minority student at a time. 🙂

Hasta luego,

Kristie

*By “minority” I mean African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, etc.