School: Mount Mary University Class of 2014
Daesy, a graduate of Mount Mary University, was the first person in her family to go to college. She didn’t have a knowledgeable family member who could guide her through all the steps of college admission and then support her once she was attending.
This problem is all too common for Milwaukee’s low-income youth. They’re capable of succeeding in college but lack the resources and knowledge of how to get there. And without means and a guide, the many steps to college graduation can feel like having to climb a mountain without a map or a safety harness.
But for Daesy, the summit was within reach because of College Possible. Through the program that was with her since her junior year in high school, she was able to find knowledgeable guides in her College Possible coaches, and she received her bachelor’s degree last spring.
“My coaches helped me build the confidence to figure out things by myself,” Daesy said. “They were so easy to talk to, and I learned to ask questions and look for answers. When I needed help with homework, I was not afraid to ask the professor for help.”
Daesy has loved her experience with College Possible — so much so that she is going to continue her time with the organization. Before going on to medical school, Daesy will spend a year of her life as an AmeriCorps coach with College Possible.
She is eager to use her personal experience and the knowledge she has gained during the past six years to contribute to the organization that made her own educational journey so successful.
“I really want to give back,” Daesy said. “I want to help other students. I want to help make their dreams come true, like College Possible made my dreams come true.”
Update as of May 2017: After Daesy graduated from Mount Mary University and she became a coach with College Possible! She served as a Junior Coach and then Senior Coach to a group of students at Riverside University High School from 2014-16. Currently, Daesy still works at Riverside, now as the testing coordinator.
