Help Ligia Beat the Odds (college)
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Ligia!
Latinas have the lowest percentage of graduate degrees compared to all women of other non-Hispanic racial groups combined[1]. The percentage drastically cuts down more when specifying the degree to a master of science in mathematics. I’m beating the odds and making the “impossible” possible. I have been fortunate enough to have a great support system from my undergrad, College of the Holy Cross, and can proudly announce that starting this week I will begin my classes as a full-time graduate student at Sam Houston State University pursuing my Master of Science in Mathematics. Yet I do not feel accomplished until this will no longer be referred to as “beating the odds”.
As a quick background, mathematics always reminded me of my self-worth and gave me the strength to continue my education even when the odds were and still is against me: a dyslexic low-income afro-Latina immigrant with a single parent. There was a point in my life though where I neglected my passion for mathematics due to the fact that I seldom encountered any Hispanics in a career involving mathematics. I began to believe that, as a minority, there would be no opportunities for me if I pursued a career involving mathematics. Luckily, with the support of my professors and mentors, I overcame that thought.
My goal is to share my passion and enthusiasm for mathematics to others; to mentor, guide, and help others realize their worth and hope to be a positive impact in their lives. Mathematics is a subject that many students struggle with and for many, it is a subject that stops them from having the motive to finish their education. I want to advance my knowledge in math and fully comprehend it so that I can be able to use mathematics to bring hope and strength the same way it did for me.
I aim to get my Ph.D. in applied mathematics and become a mathematics professor as well as create mathematical models specifically for cancer research. Whether it is a student who doubts their intelligence or a cancer patient doubting the functionality of a treatment, I aim to turn their doubts into hope. I also aim to become a philanthropist (which has always been a dream of mine) and aim to create a scholarship fund to those who also feel like the odds are against them and feel like finances are restricting them from pursuing their goals.
With that being said, I do not want to permit myself from letting anything stand in the way from achieving my goals but have always faced the problem of insufficient funds. I have been lucky enough to receive financial aid assistance from numerous donors in high school and college. Without them, I would not be where I am today as my only financial support would have been my mother, who cannot afford any of my expenses.
Now I am onto graduate school and though I have been given a Graduate Assistantship and a small scholarship - which I am very grateful for- there are still a lot of expenses that are not covered throughout my two years at SHSU.
My hopes for this GoFundMe page is to raise enough money so that I can be able to overcome this barrier, achieve my goals, and be an inspiration to many others that have the odds against them as well as help them. I am building a fund to pay for expenses not completely covered by my graduate program; such expenses are:
-Rent
-Medications and numerous amounts of co-payments
-Furniture and household items
-Undergraduate Student Loan Payments
-Food and necessities
-Car insurance
-Phone/electricity/water Bill
-School supplies and equipment
-hidden fees/emergency fund
Based on my calculations, after deducting the assistantship, funds in my checking and savings, and scholarship from my total expenses, I would still need to come up with a minimum of roughly 8,000 dollars per year. I am hoping to raise at least half, and aim to find a second job (on top of working for the assistantship) to reach the other half.
I hope you all will be part of my vision and journey whether it is financially or by sharing this on your pages. I will appreciate either one (or both!) tremendously. I have kept my description somewhat short but can go more into detail on my goals, expenses, journey, etc! Just reach out to me on Facebook messenger.
I will forever be grateful for any contributions and no donations are small donations! I appreciate you all for taking the time to read this!
Thank you!
Ligia
[1] https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/files/2015/09/Fulfilling-Americas-Future-Latinas-in-the-U.S.-2015-Final-Report.pdf
Latinas have the lowest percentage of graduate degrees compared to all women of other non-Hispanic racial groups combined[1]. The percentage drastically cuts down more when specifying the degree to a master of science in mathematics. I’m beating the odds and making the “impossible” possible. I have been fortunate enough to have a great support system from my undergrad, College of the Holy Cross, and can proudly announce that starting this week I will begin my classes as a full-time graduate student at Sam Houston State University pursuing my Master of Science in Mathematics. Yet I do not feel accomplished until this will no longer be referred to as “beating the odds”.
As a quick background, mathematics always reminded me of my self-worth and gave me the strength to continue my education even when the odds were and still is against me: a dyslexic low-income afro-Latina immigrant with a single parent. There was a point in my life though where I neglected my passion for mathematics due to the fact that I seldom encountered any Hispanics in a career involving mathematics. I began to believe that, as a minority, there would be no opportunities for me if I pursued a career involving mathematics. Luckily, with the support of my professors and mentors, I overcame that thought.
My goal is to share my passion and enthusiasm for mathematics to others; to mentor, guide, and help others realize their worth and hope to be a positive impact in their lives. Mathematics is a subject that many students struggle with and for many, it is a subject that stops them from having the motive to finish their education. I want to advance my knowledge in math and fully comprehend it so that I can be able to use mathematics to bring hope and strength the same way it did for me.
I aim to get my Ph.D. in applied mathematics and become a mathematics professor as well as create mathematical models specifically for cancer research. Whether it is a student who doubts their intelligence or a cancer patient doubting the functionality of a treatment, I aim to turn their doubts into hope. I also aim to become a philanthropist (which has always been a dream of mine) and aim to create a scholarship fund to those who also feel like the odds are against them and feel like finances are restricting them from pursuing their goals.
With that being said, I do not want to permit myself from letting anything stand in the way from achieving my goals but have always faced the problem of insufficient funds. I have been lucky enough to receive financial aid assistance from numerous donors in high school and college. Without them, I would not be where I am today as my only financial support would have been my mother, who cannot afford any of my expenses.
Now I am onto graduate school and though I have been given a Graduate Assistantship and a small scholarship - which I am very grateful for- there are still a lot of expenses that are not covered throughout my two years at SHSU.
My hopes for this GoFundMe page is to raise enough money so that I can be able to overcome this barrier, achieve my goals, and be an inspiration to many others that have the odds against them as well as help them. I am building a fund to pay for expenses not completely covered by my graduate program; such expenses are:
-Rent
-Medications and numerous amounts of co-payments
-Furniture and household items
-Undergraduate Student Loan Payments
-Food and necessities
-Car insurance
-Phone/electricity/water Bill
-School supplies and equipment
-hidden fees/emergency fund
Based on my calculations, after deducting the assistantship, funds in my checking and savings, and scholarship from my total expenses, I would still need to come up with a minimum of roughly 8,000 dollars per year. I am hoping to raise at least half, and aim to find a second job (on top of working for the assistantship) to reach the other half.
I hope you all will be part of my vision and journey whether it is financially or by sharing this on your pages. I will appreciate either one (or both!) tremendously. I have kept my description somewhat short but can go more into detail on my goals, expenses, journey, etc! Just reach out to me on Facebook messenger.
I will forever be grateful for any contributions and no donations are small donations! I appreciate you all for taking the time to read this!
Thank you!
Ligia
[1] https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/files/2015/09/Fulfilling-Americas-Future-Latinas-in-the-U.S.-2015-Final-Report.pdf
Organizer
Ligia Flores
Organizer
Boston, MA
