I’m a single mother of a five year old and an eleven month old, and I am the head of the household. With the first one I overcame four years of domestic violent relationship where I was put in 30,000 dollars debt, with the second a postpartum depression. I am also a second language student from Russia. Instead of creating an obstacle for my attending school, these challenges have encouraged me to accomplish my goal of transferring to UC Berkeley to complete a degree in Business Administration with GPA 3.8. I’d like to work in some aspect of international commerce, and ultimately to have my own business at some point.
I have regularly volunteered in my daughter’s school assisting in tutoring and classroom management to help the teachers. I am a member of the MiraCosta Fencing Club and I’ve also received a R.A.D. (Rape Aggressive Defense) Certificate. In addition, I’ve participated in the training program in MiraCosta Small Business Development Center. At this moment I’m enrolled in American Sign Language, Childbirth and Auto Tune-up courses as well to help be more employable and self-sufficient. Last year I was a participant in the Encuentros Conference and graduated from VESL class before I became a full-time student at the college.
I am a very proud and independent person, but I realize that without some form of financial assistance, my educational and professional goals are going to take me far longer and be more difficult to attain than I would like. I am very hard working, conscientious, goal-oriented and serious about my studies, and being from another country, realize the difficulties of being an immigrant in a new country. As a citizen for only five years now, I am committed to succeed in my adopted home.
Tatyana Vogel
Fri, 21 Sep 2007