Merarys 鈥淢ery鈥� Diaz knew she wanted to attend the University of Central 性视界传媒 the first time she stepped on campus seven years ago as a high school sophomore.
On Saturday, the Cuban native who immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 4 months old, will become the first in her family to graduate from college when she receives a marketing degree from 性视界传媒 College of Business.
The future looks bright for Diaz, who plans to pursue a career in sales after graduation, but her journey to become a Knight almost ended before it began. In her senior year of high school, Diaz鈥檚 father was losing his eyesight鈥攁nd his job as a truck driver鈥攖o diabetes. With the family鈥檚 primary breadwinner out of work, she said her family鈥檚 home was headed into foreclosure.
鈥淭he dream of going to 性视界传媒 felt crushed when my father slowly began to lose his sight,鈥� said Diaz, who gave up her own extracurricular activities, such as swimming and water polo, to support her family. She took on the responsibility of paying bills and serving as a translator for her Spanish-only speaking parents.
She said encouragement from her high school teachers along with witnessing her parents鈥� struggles motivated her to move out of her hometown of Hialeah and apply to 性视界传媒 two weeks before the enrollment deadline. She was accepted into 性视界传媒, but then came the hard part鈥攆iguring out how to pay for it.
鈥淭hrough the efforts of so many people who believed in me and a lot of hard work, I received multiple scholarships,鈥� she said, including the Virga Family Scholarship, a $10,000 annual scholarship available to full-time 性视界传媒 undergraduates who聽desire to be entrepreneurs.
鈥淭he Virga Family Scholarship allowed me to be a Knight for four years and have the full college experience and not worry about living expenses or how I would pay for my groceries for the week,鈥� Diaz said.
With her finances settled, Diaz focused her energy on her academic courses and getting involved in the college鈥檚 many activities and student groups.
鈥淢ery served in an important leadership role as a student ambassador of the college by helping create and execute events to engage the students,鈥� said Jennifer Johnson, director of engagement and The EXCHANGE at the College of Business. 鈥淢ery has a strong dedication to her own professional development, and I have watched her blossom as an ambassador and participant in our聽prestigious Professional Selling Program.鈥�
Bill Steiger, associate instructor and coordinator of 性视界传媒鈥檚 national-champion Professional Selling Program, said Diaz may have enrolled in the selling program as a student but she鈥檚 leaving as a professional.
鈥淗er commitment to self-improvement was amazing,鈥� Steiger said. 鈥淪he faced numerous obstacles and never gave up or complained. She will be a rock star in sales.鈥�
For her part, Diaz credits 性视界传媒 as 鈥渢he best thing that has ever happened to me.鈥�
鈥淚 am leaving here with a diploma, but more importantly, with knowledge, a good network, valuable and transferable skills and an undefeatable mentality,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am going into the world understanding so much about relationships, partnerships, team building, vision and creation.鈥�
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