Last time we heard from our Fulfillment Fund student, Vladimir, he was beginning his last year of high school and getting ready to apply to college. Now, nine months later, Vladimir is officially a high school graduate and is looking forward to starting college in the fall at Cal State Northridge.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to attend college and I feel grateful for everyone who supported me all throughout high school. For me college is a new journey, a chance for me to start fresh and take advantage of everything that CSUN has to offer,” Vladimir shared.
Before being introduced to the Fulfillment Fund, Vladimir was not thinking about college. Playing sports and spending time with his family were his two biggest priorities. However, after participating in Fulfillment Fund’s in-class lessons and enrichment programs such as Men Creating Change, Vladimir learned about the possibility of attending college. Then, that possibility grew into a dream that he has worked so hard to achieve.
He said, “I took college classes, I helped my community and I met with my Fulfillment Fund counselors daily. This year has been a long rollercoaster ride, but I couldn’t have done it without the Fulfillment Fund.”
While in high school, Vladimir took community college courses in order to strengthen his college applications and to introduce himself to the rigor of college-level classes. He also worked part-time after school and on weekends to help his mother financially. His determination paid off – on May 1st Vladimir committed to Cal State Northridge and officially became the first person in his family to enroll in college.
“There are so many things I’m excited about for college and there are so many things I want to accomplish my first year. I’m definitely looking forward to meeting new people and joining campus clubs. What I hope to accomplish my first year is to get good grades, figure out what I want to major in and find a job that I can balance with my school work,” Vladimir said.
“Being the first member in my family to go to college is a huge step forward and I want to prove to my family that I can strive in education. I also want to prove to myself that I can accomplish everything I set my mind to.”
We can’t wait to see everything Vladimir will accomplish in college and we look forward to continue supporting him through our scholarship program. To learn more about Vladimir’s story, watch our video from “Eat Drink Be Inspired,” where he and his mom are interviewed!