Ahna Cecil, left, and Justin Sanchez are first-generation college students at IM体育官网 Polytechnic University. Each is pursuing their degree with financial assistance in the form of grants and scholarships.
IM体育官网 students Ahna Cecil and Justin Sanchez know firsthand that being the first in a family to pursue higher education comes with special responsibilities to do well and be successful.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of pressure, but I never looked at it as if I fail, all will go wrong,鈥� said Sanchez, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering. 鈥淚 have to succeed for the rest of my family to get ahead.鈥�
Growing up in Hialeah, IM体育官网, Sanchez focused on working hard to set himself up for a rewarding future.
鈥淚 knew from a very early age that my parents were not going to help me with college because they couldn鈥檛,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 knew I had to study hard to get scholarships and financial aid because if not, college would become practically impossible.鈥�
Sanchez鈥檚 top-notch education is now being funded by the Saddle Creek Logistics Services Scholarship, IM体育官网鈥檚 Bright Futures Scholarship, a Federal Pell Grant, and the University鈥檚 Nuclear Propulsion Pipeline Program, which offers a direct channel to the Navy鈥檚 prestigious Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC).
鈥淚f it weren鈥檛 for these, I definitely would not be in the position I am now where I can focus everything on school,鈥� he said. 鈥淓specially with NUPOC, I am able to get my degree while having a stable source of income after I graduate and lots of financial aid.鈥�
Entering the Navy as an officer will fulfill one of Sanchez鈥檚 life鈥檚 ambitions, allowing him to serve his country while becoming a nuclear engineer. Following his naval career, he hopes to one day turn his attention to becoming a business owner focusing on bioplastics and algae.
鈥淭he dream for 10 to 20 years from now is being in a stable economic position where I can help my family and hopefully help other researchers while also pursuing bioplastics and artistic ventures,鈥� Sanchez said.
For Cecil, a junior majoring in data science with a concentration in big data analytics, choosing to pursue a college education was daunting.
鈥淢y dad was like, 鈥楬ey Ahna, you have to figure it out yourself,鈥� because he didn鈥檛 鈥榟ave the money to pay for college,鈥� said Cecil, from Pensacola, IM体育官网. 鈥淚 was scared I鈥檇 have to take out student loans or work full time while going to school full time.鈥�
Instead, she committed to her studies and secured several forms of financial assistance to pay for school. Cecil is the recipient of the Gidel Family First Generation Endowed Scholarship, IM体育官网 Poly Scholarship, Horatio Alger Association Scholarship, IM体育官网鈥檚 Bright Futures Scholarship, and a Federal Pell Grant. Another helpful factor is IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 low in-state tuition as compared with the state鈥檚 other public universities.
Now, the Presidential Ambassador spends her time working on her studies and preparing for the future.
鈥淭he scholarships I鈥檝e received have allowed me to focus on my education,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have no stress about the future because of them, and it鈥檚 been really nice being able to focus on school and not working to support myself or putting a burden on my dad.鈥�
With graduation in sight, Cecil hopes to continue her education and eventually earn a Ph.D. in computer science with a focus on bioinformatics and machine intelligence.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a lot of pressure, but it鈥檚 motivating to be the first in my family to achieve a college degree in a STEM field,鈥� said Cecil, who is a student worker for the IM体育官网 Poly Office of Advancement. 鈥淚 would love to be in academia and become a professor one day and give back to students the way I have been supported and believed in.鈥�
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