Providing students with real solutions that eliminate the barriers that keep them from moving forward is one of the biggest perks of working for uAspire. 

This past year, I was working with a student to complete her CSS profile, and during our conversation, she shared with me that she and her family were working to figure out how to pay an unexpected bill. Her college reduced her financial aid because she received a scholarship from another source leaving her with a balance of almost $8,000 that needed to be paid before she could register for classes. Although unfortunate, the situation made her a candidate for the CCIF grant, a grant uAspire created to help students who may be in danger of stopping out of college due to a past due bill and other factors. The grant covered her full balance, giving her some breathing room to plan ways to cover the bill next year.

Her story is a great example of why I like to remind my students not to limit themselves because they can explore so many different opportunities. I encourage them to take advantage of the resources available and take initiative because opportunities often arise from unexpected places. 

Much of the advice I give my students comes from my college experience. I struggled financially, and at one point my school charged me $3,000 for insurance, and I had no idea how to cover that cost. On top of financial struggles, I was having trouble adjusting to life in Minnesota coming from New York. I was also a first-generation Haitian-American student on a predominantly white campus. But, I took the initiative for my education and kept reaching out to people and looking for resources. I eventually created an amazing support system that paid that $3,000 bill and provided me with ongoing support.  It was not an easy process, but it shaped me into who I am today and helped me realize that working with students is my passion.