Because of the guidance and support you help provide, Cristal Marte is currently enrolled at Rhode Island College, where she is a Nursing major who will be graduating in the fall of 2019! Like most first-generation students, Cristal didn’t know much about the college admissions process, but knew the importance of pursuing higher education, not only for herself, but for her family’s future.
“It is important for me to pursue higher education because I want to give my parents and my future kids a better life and I know that becoming a working professional will help me achieve this. More importantly, I want a job that I deeply enjoy and I know that is nursing.”
Applying to college is a long and confusing process, especially for first-generation and low-income students, like Cristal. Here is what she had to say:
“The most challenging part of being a first-generation college student for me was not knowing what to expect my first year of college. I remember not knowing what the FAFSA was or how to fill out a college application. What made it worse was that nobody in my family could have helped me because they too did not know. My parents are very supportive and always motivate me to go to school. However, they were not able to help me as much as I wished they could have.”
There are so many students across Rhode Island with similar stories to Cristal—you may have been one of them. A student with the desire and drive to pursue higher education, but lacked access to the knowledge and resources they needed to pursue that goal. By supporting College Visions, you are giving students like Cristal a chance to change the narrative in Rhode Island that only 38% of low-income students graduate from college within 6 years. Your gift allows students to truly be the authors of their own story and leave a new legacy that low-income, first-generation students can and are earning their college degree at higher rates!
“Thank God, College Visions was there to help me. CV helped me with the simplest things like creating a resume and practicing for admissions interviews. They also helped me fill out college applications, learn how to budget, realize the importance of the FAFSA and how to fill it out and much more. I am thankful to have CV in my life. They are the best thing that can happen to a first-generation student. CV provides many opportunities for us students and they are always there to help and support us. I am currently a college junior, but I know I can always count on CV if I ever need help with anything.”
We hope you will consider giving to College Visions by June 30th. When you give, you help Cristal realize her goal of becoming a Nurse Practitioner and open the doors to a better life for her and her family!
With many thanks,
College Visions Students
Make a secure, tax-deductible gift through PayPal at www.collegevisions.org/donate
or send a check to:
College Visions
131 Washington Street, Suite 205
Providence, RI 02903
