“I never thought college was possible for someone like me. But now, I’m not only a college graduate but also dreaming of graduate school,” shared ScholarMatch alum Fabiola Eloisa Martínez Rivas.

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When Fabiola arrived in the U.S. from El Salvador at the age of 16, she faced many challenges in adapting to a new culture. Learning a new language was intimidating, especially while preparing for the significant milestone of high school graduation. 

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Needless to say, college, at that time, seemed almost impossible for her. After witnessing her sister drop out of her dream college due to high tuition, Fabiola felt even more discouraged from pursuing higher education. 

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Enter ScholarMatch

Still, Fabiola was curious to explore other potential pathways to college. After some research, she stumbled upon ScholarMatch’s Destined for College program and its free resources and college advising support. So, despite being unfamiliar with the new education system, Fabiola saw a chance at succeeding. So she took a leap of faith to start her own college journey with ScholarMatch’s support. 

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According to the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), more than half (56%) of today’s college students in the U.S. are first-generation, with 10% being foreign-born. Studies have shown that college access and persistence organizations, such as ScholarMatch, which place a strong emphasis on mentoring services, can significantly boost first-generation students’ academic performance and sense of belonging. 

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Fabiola was paired with a trained coach who guided her through every step of the college application process, and together, they worked on personal statement essays, applied for financial aid and scholarships, and built a balanced college list with Fabiola’s needs in mind. The individualized support she received was not only a game-changer but also helped her visualize possible career pathways.

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“Sometimes I was like, oh my god, this is so hard!” Fabiola recalls about her four years of college. “But I had those advisors saying, ‘Keep doing it. You are doing great right now. We're here for you.’ And they always were right there with me.”

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Applying for Scholarships

First-generation students have unique needs, and ScholarMatch understands that meeting young people where they are is crucial to their success. With that in mind, ScholarMatch ensures that students receive wraparound support as they navigate college and launch their careers. Through a holistic approach that supports students’ academic, emotional, and financial needs, ScholarMatch scholars can focus on what really matters: building the career and life they’re passionate about.

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After completing ScholarMatch’s college access program, Fabiola was accepted into ScholarMatch’s Scholars Program—a college persistence program that provides robust college advising and a flexible scholarship to help cover school-related expenses, emergency needs, and even summer housing, a hidden cost many students struggle with.

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“When I got the scholarship, I was so happy! Even my mom couldn’t believe it. She was like, ‘You’re lying.’” Fabiola’s mother, who has supported and encouraged Fabiola every step of the way, initially thought the scholarship was a loan, but Fabiola explained that ScholarMatch scholarships don’t have to be repaid. 

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These scholarships are made possible through innovative partnerships that aim to address longstanding educational inequalities. By partnering with scholarship partners such as the Smart Cookie Scholarship Fund, founded by Karen Trilevsky in 2002, ScholarMatch has been able to support hundreds of first-generation students like Fabiola on their college journeys. “College is expensive, so when I got the scholarship, I felt a huge relief knowing I had support from ScholarMatch,” Fabiola added. 

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Navigating Multiple Barriers 

As an English as a Second Language (ESL) student, Fabiola decided to attend UC Riverside, a Hispanic-serving institution that provides information in Spanish along with tools and resources to support first-generation Latinx students. Due to the university’s rigorous academic standards, Fabiola soon realized she would have to fully embrace English despite her accent. 

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“I spoke a lot of Spanish in high school. I didn’t like to speak English. Even in college, I didn’t want to speak English. I thought that I just needed to pass my classes,” she recalled. 

According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), learning English at a proficient level can take 1,000-2,000 guided learning hours. But Fabiola’s ScholarMatch advisor gave her invaluable advice: learning English is like building a muscle—it takes time and dedication. So Fabiola put in the time and improved her language skills by relying on campus resources, practicing diligently, and even mimicking television dialogues from her favorite shows.

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Academic Success & Future Goals

When the time came to declare a major, Fabiola turned to her advisors to discuss her options. She realized that majoring in liberal studies could offer some flexibility and a pathway to a career where she could support other first-generation students like her. She accompanied her bachelor’s degree with a minor in education to gain a deeper understanding of the U.S. education system.

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With the ongoing guidance and support of her ScholarMatch advisors, Fabiola graduated from UC Riverside and proudly celebrated being the first person in her family to earn a college degree.  

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“I couldn’t believe that I was going to graduate, and now I’m thinking of doing my master’s, and that’s all because of ScholarMatch,” she said.

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You can also support students like Fabiola by joining the ScholarMatch movement

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There are many ways to get involved and help students pursue their college and career dreams.

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Get Involved:

• Become a ScholarMatch coach: Work 1:1 with first-generation students like Fabiola as a college or career coach. Coaches play a vital role in helping students succeed in college and beyond. Learn more.
• Make a donation: ScholarMatch relies on the power of community to keep going. A donation of any amount can go a long way in fueling ScholarMatch programs and scholarships.
• Partner with ScholarMatch: Team up with ScholarMatch to provide crucial support to first-generation students, whether through scholarships, internships, or other professional development opportunities.
• Spread the word: Sign up to receive ScholarMatch’s newsletter and stay in the loop of all things ScholarMatch. The good ol’ word of mouth can go a long way!

For more information, please visit www.scholarmatch.org.