The ESC scholarship has supported my educational goals in so many ways. The funding has allowed me to pursue my educational goals by letting me focus more on my studies and less on how to afford my education. The ESC scholarship has provided me with financial support that has helped go towards the cost of tuition, books, and supplies. With this support, I have been able to concentrate on courses and activities that are essential to my academic and professional growth. Not only has this scholarship helped fund the cost of my education, but it has also inspired me to keep working hard and obtain my degree.

The Educational Scholarships Council, ESC Scholarship, provided essential financial support that enabled my academic success. Each $1,000 installment gave me the time to effectively balance school and work. It meant one more day I could step away from work to study for exams, to attend career-shaping networking events, or simply rest and recover amid the demands of undergraduate and graduate school. It covered rent when I needed stability, and groceries when I needed to preserve both my mental and physical health. With that support, I sustained a 3.96 GPA at Cal Poly and served as senior editor of the university’s academic journal. These two achievements alone were crucial to my success in earning admission to Georgetown University's MSFS program, the world's top-ranked program for international relations. The scholarship then allowed me to serve two years as a student representative, allowing me to cultivate the trust of my peers and eventually deliver a commencement address on behalf of my cohort. It allowed me time to study and prepare to defend my thesis, which helped me maintain a 3.6 GPA and earn distinction on my oral exams. These milestones that would have been unimaginable without the support of the ESC Scholarship.

The ESC scholarship has been instrumental in helping me achieve my educational goals. It allowed me to join research programs, which ignited my passion for linguistics and led me to pursue graduate school. Knowing that my community believed in me and supported me through this scholarship gave me the confidence to continue striving toward my academic and career goals. The ESC scholarship alleviated stress during tough times, particularly in grad school, and provided me with the support I needed to succeed. (I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity and hope to pay it forward by supporting underrepresented individuals, just as I’ve been supported.)