Maeva Makendi, Class of 2021

Being first-gen/low-income means overcoming insurmountable odds. I was born in Cameroon and moved to the United States when I was 8 years. In all those years my family’s socioeconomic status has ranged from poor to working class. But, one thing that my parents always emphasized was the importance of college and education. So, they ingrained in me that our current situation was not a reflection of our future possibility. I internalized that. I pushed and motivated myself to go and excel at a STEM magnet high school because I thought it would give me a better chance of getting into a good college with a scholarship. Those were some very stressful times in my life due to the pressure I personally put on myself, as well as the pressure my parents put on me as the oldest child. But, my hard work paid off when I learned about Questbridge. I applied to the program, got in went through the process, and got matched with Vanderbilt! With that came the dream of a college education (free of charge) and the hopes of breaking the cycle of poverty.

Being first-gen/low-income at Vanderbilt has made me more driven. I came to this university was a vague idea of success and accomplishment. I simply wanted to graduate with good grades and a “good” job. But, being at Vanderbilt has expanded my idea of success. Jobs, careers, and aspirations that never crossed my mind are now a part of my reality. I realized that non-first-gen/non-low-income students are no better than me. They are not more capable, intelligent, or driven. So, the kind of jobs that they were getting, I could do that too. I have been on a mission to personally change what a low income, first-gen student can accomplish.

My most helpful allies have been other first-gen/low-income students who have also gone through similar experiences as me. Because they understand the path that we have to go to and he struggle we face, they have always been there to lend a helping hand or an empathetic ear.

P.S. If anyone is interested in personal finance check out my blog here!