My name is Ethan, and I go to Sam Houston State University, and I'm a Dell Scholar.
My family was originally from the Philippines
and they came here about 20 years ago.
And the first thing they did was find a nice place to live,
but also some place affordable.
And most affordable places weren't the safest places, the most regulated places.
Growing up in that environment – there was probably 14 of us living in an apartment complex.
And just seeing my family just motivated me to give back to them.
And I saw that the opportunity to give back was college and getting a degree.
With my degree, I want to pursue veterinary medicine.
And, hopefully, down the road I want to have my own clinic and open up my own shop.
So last fall, I felt like I was doing very well in my courses.
But near the last payment plan section I just –
I couldn't pull it off, and I couldn't pay. So they dropped all my courses.
And it was during finals week, so it was very devastating.
It really took a toll on my confidence, and I felt like this is just going to throw me off the tracks.
I just didn't want to talk to anybody, I didn't want to deal with school.
But you know, the Dell Scholars, they reached out to me.
They just called me out on it and said, “We know how it's like, and we understand
where your confidence may be, but you need to know
that this journey is not just for you, it's for your family.
And we're here with you. Even after you graduate, we're here with you."
They gave me the emotional support, the financial support,
and the urgency and confidence to keep going and keep moving on.
Being a Dell Scholar is much more than a scholarship,
it's much more than the money.
They reach out to you and they want to see how you're doing in life.
And not just school, but every aspect of what you're going through.
When I graduate with that degree, I feel like
it's not just going to touch my life, but everyone around me too.
I feel really motivated, and I feel blessed to be pursuing things not a lot of people can say they can pursue.
