Kerly Loja chases all opportunities available for her. Coming from a developing country where professional opportunities are limited, she values even more the opportunity she has to obtain a college education. As part of our celebration of #FirstGenerationWeek we share a Q&A we had with Kerly:
Who or what inspires you to get your degree and why?
My mother. We were born in a third world country where opportunities are limited or they simply don’t exist. My mother was very young when I was born and she did not want the same for me. That’s the main reason why she did everything to provide a better future for me and my siblings.
How will earning your college degree change your life and the lives of your family members?
If I earn my degree it will change my life in many ways. First, I want my experience to be an inspiration for others like me. I will be able to provide care for my parents when they get old. I can also help my family members like my grandparents in Ecuador. But my biggest dream is one day be able to give back to the community by helping immigrant students with hardship experience. One day I want to be able to help others make their dreams come true, and show the world that everything is possible.
One day, you will be a first generation college graduate. Who do you hope your story will inspire?
I will hope to inspire all immigrants who think that getting a higher education in the U.S is almost impossible. From my perspective getting a higher education in the U.S is very challenging and sometimes we don’t have enough opportunities.
What do you wish the College knew about you?
I wish the college knew how much effort and hard work I put into everything I do. Also, I really take advantage of any opportunity I see.