Hi. My name is Lizzy. Growing up in an Asian culture, it has been tough sharing my story and my accomplishments. However, I don’t want to share my story because I’m proud of myself. I want to share my journey with other students to show them that anything is possible. Through my experiences, I’ve learned that obstacles will continually be thrown at you in life, and how you adapt and overcome them molds you into a better and stronger person. I’ll start off by saying that I have had to pay for college through my own efforts. I have applied for countless scholarships, made sure I met the requirements for federal grants every semester, and balanced multiple jobs since high school in order to have enough funds to finance my education. I’ve co-founded and established a mentor program in Asian Business Student Association, mentored in Management Information Systems Student Organization, participated in several leadership conferences and competitions, and completed four internships. I want to emphasize that none of this is said to impress anyone. I don’t think any of this is impressive at all. I’ve just continued to roll with the punches in life. I want to make a point that my family and I have endured a lot for many years. My parents divorced, my nephew passed away, our family business had to shut down, my family was consistently unable to help support me financially, I’ve had to forego educational funds to support my family and our house’s necessary expenses, my mom and I are on the brink of losing our home, and I’ve balanced all of this while double-majoring in accounting and management information systems and staying on the Deans List. Life will never stop throwing you curve balls. You will never go through life without wanting to give up at some point or another. People will discourage you to achieve your dreams. Sometimes the end results won’t be what you hoped for or expected. Many times I hear students lose faith and determination; they lose their way in the midst of the chaos in their lives, and I want to say to every single student out there that has had to endure any sort of pain, setback, or disappointment – YOU CAN DO IT! Don’t ever believe in someone else’s words that you can’t. Continue to exceed expectations, reach for the stars and achieve your dreams! This specific story doesn’t have to be published, or if it does get published, it doesn’t have to be verbatim. I just thought someone’s inspiring story could be published to motivate students – even if it’s not mine. This is my last semester at Bauer, and I hope my story has touched someone and encouraged them to embrace the struggles in their lives that make them stronger.
