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Legally Blind Student Dreams of Becoming a Veterinarian - Defies Odds and Gets Accepted Into University
Uplifting News

Legally Blind Student Dreams of Becoming a Veterinarian - Defies Odds and Gets Accepted Into University

Dreams are important, but they can also be complicated. Even if we’ve discovered our dreams and are taking steps to make them a reality, there are plenty of obstacles that can get in the way.Sometimes, those obstacles are a matter of circumstance, like financial reasons, proximity, or talent. But it’s important to remember that we’re not all born with the same deck of cards in life. Some people have physical, mental, or emotional circumstances they also have to navigate.Realizing your dreams is possible though, as this heartwarming story proves.An Aspiring VetFaith Snapp is a legally blind 22-year-old who grew up in Texas dreaming of becoming a veterinarian. “My entire life, my family has raised horses and goats for as long as I can remember,” she explained to Fox News. “I always loved animals.”However, Snapp and her twin brother were born prematurely and with very limited vision. Today, Snapp can only detect motion with her right eye, while her left eye can make out shapes, colors, and large prints. The publication reports that she’s always had trouble seeing far distances and has less than 10% field vision.As a result, Snapp has had a guide dog since high school. Still, she never let her sight impairment stop her from pursuing her love of animals. She joined several clubs in high school and worked at local animal clinics.“I just needed to find the people and the accommodations and the places that would be willing to help me,” she explained.“That was a little bit challenging because I think oftentimes people place limitations on somebody with a disability because they assume that they are limited. But in my mind, the only limitation I have is if I think I can't do it.”Realizing Her DreamIt may have been challenging to find others who could help Snapp on her journey, but in the end, she never gave up and found the support she needed. Earlier this year all of Snapp’s hard work and commitment paid off when she was accepted into the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine."His plan is far greater than mine and I am so thankful to have an opportunity like this to continue to grow and love others along my journey!" Snapp wrote in a Facebook post. "I also want to thank my family and friends who have supported me and pushed me to work hard to chase my dreams."Snapp begins her classes in August and hopes that through them, she can continue on her path to becoming a mixed-animal veterinarian. In that role, she would be able to work with both large and small animals.“No matter who you are or what your circumstances… anything is possible,” she said. “I just hope my story can help others realize that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.”Follow Your DreamsOne of the hardest things in life can be finding your purpose or realizing what it is you want to do with your life. That’s why, when you do find your dream, you should pursue it. After all, this is your life and you get to choose how you live it.That doesn’t mean following your dream will be easy, but as Snapp’s story proves, it is possible. Make a plan, figure out which obstacles you may need to overcome, and surround yourself with people who will support you on your journey.While you’re at it, do your best to support other people on their dream fulfillment quests. After all, we only get one shot at this thing called life, so why not lift each other up and help one another find purpose, too?More from Goalcast:Poor 84-Year-Old Street Vendor Has Had One Dream for Decades – Wakes Up at 4:30 A.M Every Day to Fulfill ItUber Driver Confesses Her Biggest Dream To Passengers – Their Reaction Takes Her By SurpriseAfter Finding Out She Might Die, She Lost 170 Pounds And Went After Her Dream

Struggling Single Mom Forced to Drop Her Studies - Then, Her Sons Secret Plan Gives Her Something She Wasnt Expecting
Uplifting News

Struggling Single Mom Forced to Drop Her Studies - Then, Her Sons Secret Plan Gives Her Something She Wasnt Expecting

Rui Da Silva’s mother Elnete worked hard for him and his sibling to have a good upbringing in the UK. Now, Da Silva wanted to do the same for her.One Son Wanted to Give His Mom What She Gave HimElnete was working as a dinner lady in London. Da Silva, a youth worker and music producer, told BuzzFeed News that his mother had been cooking for most of her life and had always wanted to study. “Coming from West Africa, formal education is of a certain importance,” he said. “But since coming to England, as a single mother, the opportunity to study has been out of reach."Da Silva said his mother was studying a dental nursing course when they first moved to the UK. But his father had died when he was five and his younger sister was one and his mother had to drop her studies.In 2013, his mother survived a battle with breast cancer. "Post her battle, she found serenity with cooking. So while some had comfort food, my mum had comfort cooking," Da Silva said.Then Elnete was given an unconditional offer from the University of West London to study professional cookery. Da Silva said she was over the moon; but she had to gain a level 2 NVQ before she could study as an undergraduate, and was disappointed to learn that she was not eligible for financial support.How a Son Supported His Mom’s Dreams for an EducationDa Silva was determined to help his mother go to university despite this obstacle. "I spent weeks searching for funds, grants, loans, but came to realise that GoFundMe is the best choice," he said.So he secretly sets up a GoFundMe page and writes: Born and raised in Sao Tome eating Jackfruit for breakfast. Catching and cooking fish for dinner. Moving to Portugal, sampling a range Afro-Portuguese food. Living in England, cooking culturally English food at work. Feeding the family with a beautiful amalgamation of Afro-Portuguese-British food. Countless attempts at appropriating every recipe she can get her hands on. Later catering to her son’s vegetarian diet for the last 3-4 years. My mother’s palette is vast, rich and still, for her, not vast enough.With 164 donations, the campaign raised £2,505 raised of £2,000 goal and many left encouraging comments for the mother.“Wow...what an amazing son you are! I hope your mum enjoys following her dreams. Thanks for making me smile by being awesome!” one donor wrote.“Good Luck!!! Moms are super heroes and your mom certainly deserves to go on her next adventure!” another one wrote."I think she’ll feel a sense of control over her life. Working for many years to pay the bills, at a workplace that doesn’t cater to her creativity. I think being in university would really fuel her to get creative and embrace her self-value as a capable individual."More from Goalcast:Mom Works Four Jobs for Five Years to Save Money for College – Now Her Son Has Received a Full Scholarship to His Dream SchoolMother of 7 Graduates College as Valedictorian After 10 Years – A Note From Her Daughter Helped Her Overcome Various Hurdles

Mom Works Four Jobs for Five Years to Save Money for College - Now Her Son Has Received a Full Scholarship to His Dream School
Uplifting News

Mom Works Four Jobs for Five Years to Save Money for College - Now Her Son Has Received a Full Scholarship to His Dream School

Waiting and finding out whether or not you got accepted into colleges can be an exciting and nail-biting, anxious moment. This is emphasized when it comes to your dream school, as is the case of Amir Staten, a Pennsylvania teen who recently went viral for his exuberant reaction when he got accepted into his ideal university.And the joy has continued to elevate as he learned he would be attending the school with his whole tuition being paid via a scholarship.Getting Accepted Into a Historical UniversityThis past February, Staten, based in Philadelphia, sparked many people's attention across the U.S. for his exuberant reaction to the acceptance.In a video shared by Good Morning America, Staten can be seen leaping up and down and yelling with pure happiness after getting accepted into Morehouse, a historically Black all-male university in Atlanta, Georgia."Let's go! I just got in. Mom, I just got in," he could be heard saying in the video.A few months after that heartwarming moment was filmed, Staten also discovered that he received a full-ride four-year scholarship to Morehouse. According to the university's website, it costs nearly $52,000 per year to attend while living on campus.New Remarkable University DevelopmentKarlynne Staten, Amir's mother, shared a video where he can be seen crying out of pleasant surprise when he found out he was one of 15 Bonner Scholars through an email."You don't have to pay for college," Amir can be heard explaining to his mom.Founded in 1990 by the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation, hailing from Princeton, New Jersey, the program aids the men of Morehouse by fostering service throughout the campus by helping them become accountable and honorable leaders while promoting positive changes in the world around them.Staten's mom revealed that he was an exceptional student as he received the honor roll and became head of his school's Black Student Union. He also was no stranger to sports as he was the basketball team captain.The Sacrifices One Mom Made for a Better FutureGiving back to the community, Staten's mom also said he completed 120 hours of community service."He has gone above and beyond of what is expected of him," Staten's mom told Good Morning America.Noting that Amir has a twin sister and that she fosters a young boy, Staten's mom took on other workloads to ensure they would be set for college."I have been working three or four jobs for the last four or five years so I could try to save up and maintain a household and still have some type of funding [for their college degrees]," she told the outlet.According to Kevin Booker, the dean and vice president of Morehouse student service, Staten, along with the other scholars in the program, will go to the Dominican Republic in their senior year of undergraduate studies. While there, they will work at an orphanage, fulfilling the scholarship's premise of helping those in need.More from Goalcast:She Was Born in Prison and Then Raised by a Single Dad – Years Later, She’s Going to Harvard on a Full Scholarship16-Year-Old Student Accepted to Over 186 Colleges — Receives More Than $10 Million in Scholarship Offers13-Year-Old Sells Tea on the Street in the Cold for Earthquake Victims – University Awards Him a Full Scholarship

Young Woman Who Cant Afford University Decides to Go to Community College Instead - Then She Opens a Letter That Changes Everything
Uplifting News

Young Woman Who Cant Afford University Decides to Go to Community College Instead - Then She Opens a Letter That Changes Everything

University is a huge deal. Not only is it a major learning experience, it’s also a huge financial commitment. That’s why when TikToker Madi (@luvlyymadiii) received letters from universities after applying, she decided to not even open them. She had made the very hard decision to go to community college, knowing that she couldn’t afford the hefty bill that came with a university.Why One Woman Decided to Go to Community CollegePhoto by PixabayFinally, just 24 hours before final decision day, she decided to open all of the letters out of curiosity. She had already decided on community college, so opening the letter was just a way to pass the time.That’s when she saw that her dream University, Maryville College in Tennessee, had accepted her application and offered her a $104,000 scholarship! Madi was devastated. She had already accepted that she was attending the local community college and started orientation. Madi was sad and frustrated. It was too late. Madi recorded her reaction to the letter on TikTok, and the whole situation went viral. Many commenters asked her why she hadn’t opened the letters, and the truth is -- she was overwhelmed! “Finds out I had a $104,000 scholarship from one of my top 3 colleges. I already decided to go to a community college bc I thought uni would be to much debt.” She wouldn’t have been able to afford it, and between working and finishing high school, she just needed to make a decision. Even with the discovery of the scholarship, she wasn’t sure what to do.Some Things Are Meant to BeThat is, until Maryville College found her viral video and commented on it: “It’s not too late to come! Reach out to admissions or feel free to DM and I’ll get you in touch with the right folks!”Other commenters were also encouraging, even though they couldn’t wrap their heads around why she wouldn’t open the letters as soon as they came in the mail. “You opened it a day before the decision for a reason. Go and get that uni education w/ the scholarship!! It’ll be worth it!”Madi’s future seems to have been written in the stars. She opened the letters before the final decision day for a reason, posted on social media for a reason, and finally, accepted the offer for a reason. We still don’t know why, but we do know that Madi is going to do big things thanks to her education from Maryville College. When something so perfect works out against all odds, you know it's meant to be. More from Goalcast:13-Year-Old Sells Tea on the Street in the Cold for Earthquake Victims – University Awards Him a Full ScholarshipElderly Neighbor Calls the Cops on a 9-Year-Old Black Girl Because He Was “Scared” – Then Yale University Takes OverMan Attends University Graduation – Notices Random 68-Year-Old Applauding for Every Single Student for This Reason

After a Breakup, She Wrote Her Name on a Dollar and Spent It Years Later, It Came Back to Her From the Man She Would Marry
Uplifting News

After a Breakup, She Wrote Her Name on a Dollar and Spent It Years Later, It Came Back to Her From the Man She Would Marry

*Featured image contains photo by Jonathan BorbaPaul Grachan had been out on a few dates with Esther. Things just seemed to click, and he decided to make things more official and ask Esther to be his girlfriend. He called Esther and the two made dinner plans for the end of the week.The next day, Paul ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things. After bagging his groceries and taking his change from the clerk, which consisted of a few dollar bills, his next stop was a neighbourhood deli to pick up a sandwich for lunch. Paul remembers that otherwise unremarkable moment when he took out his wallet to pay for his sandwich. “I pulled out the couple bucks' change that I had gotten from the [grocery] store, handed the clerk one of the ones. And then I looked at it and I pulled it back.”He Decided to Keep the DollarPhoto by Karolina GrabowskaThat’s because, on the bill was written the name ‘Esther.’ He thought it was a sweet coincidence and decided to keep it. He thought it would be fun to give it to Esther and tell the story during their dinner on Friday. Later, he decided to go an extra step and frame the dollar bill. He bought a gold frame and wrapped it up."So it was floating in the middle on this piece of gold,” Paul recalls, “as if you're going to go in a church in Italy and they had a fragment from the robe of some saint or something like that. And I called it the Immaculate Dollar of Arlington Heights.” Paul thought it would be a fun way to provide a moment of connection before he asked Esther to be his girlfriend. He wasn’t expecting much more of a reaction than a smile.It Wasn’t the Reaction He Was Looking ForBut when Paul presented the framed dollar as a gift, Esther was speechless. Instead of smiling, she looked deeply worried. Paul tried to lighten the mood, explaining, “It’s a dollar bill with your name on it.” But to Esther, it was much more than that.But Esther wouldn’t explain. She waved it off, telling Paul that it was nothing, to remind her to tell him a story later. Paul just wanted to enjoy the moment with his new girlfriend, so he let it drop. The Dollar Bill ResurfacesIt would be several years before Paul saw the framed dollar bill again. Paul and Esther’s relationship had only gotten stronger. They got engaged and were married. One afternoon, as they were unpacking boxes in their new home, Paul found the photo frame wrapped in paper.Smiling to himself, he walked into the bedroom to find Esther. He held up the photo frame and said, “Hey, you never told me about this dollar. What’s the deal with that?” He remembered her concerned look the moment that he had given it to her.Esther knew that it was time to tell the story. She started slowly, “I knew that we were going to be married the day that you gave me this dollar bill.”The Dollar Bill That Defined Their LivesPhoto by Rodrigo Souza“It was pretty crazy,” Paul remembers. Esther went on to tell him that years before meeting him, she was coming out of a failed relationship. Rather than dwell on it, she decided upon a symbolic act that would help her move forward. She took a pencil and wrote her name on a few dollar bills. She spent them and imagined their journey through the world, saying to herself, “The guy that gets this dollar bill is going to be the guy that asks me to marry him.”Years later, when Paul presented her with one of those dollar bills in a gold frame, it took her breath away. In the moment, Esther froze, not wanting to say anything that would scare off her new boyfriend: “I didn't want to freak this guy out and be like, what, this girl's already talking about marriage?”But in her heart, Esther knew Paul was the one. And as destiny would have it, the two ended up in a serious relationship, eventually getting married.A Beautiful Symbol of ConnectionPaul says he’s not one to put much emphasis on coincidences, but the story of Esther’s dollar bill hit too close to home. “Now it just sits in that very same frame up on our dresser,” he says, “and I look at it every day that I wake up. Sometimes I remind her that we have it when she's upset at me or angry.”Esther agrees that the dollar bill makes her feel even more connected to her husband; she’s comfortable in the knowledge that Paul is her soulmate. The two have been married for almost 30 years.“I know I'm stuck with you,” Esther says to Paul. “You got this dollar bill.” The universe does indeed work in mysterious and wonderful ways.More from Goalcast:Woman Diagnosed With Rare Genetic Disorder Wonders if She’ll Ever Find Love – Then One Man Steps in With the AnswerVeteran Spends 70 Years Searching for the Lost Love of His Life – At 91, He Finally Finds Her

Two Teens Were Wrongfully Convicted and Spent 15 Years in Prison - Little Did They Know What Was Coming Next
Uplifting News

Two Teens Were Wrongfully Convicted and Spent 15 Years in Prison - Little Did They Know What Was Coming Next

Michael Sutton and Kenny Phillips were just teenagers when they were arrested, tried, and found guilty of attempted murder. Sutton was sentenced to 41 years in prison. Phillips was sentenced to 92.It was a crime they didn't commit. 15 years after being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned, the two men were exonerated and freed from jail. But not before losing a decade and a half of their lives to a horrible injustice.It's a wrong the University of Akron is trying to make right. The university just granted the two men full scholarships, giving them a chance at the future they were so unfairly denied.How Two Innocent Teens Were Wrongly Convicted for a Crime They Didn’t CommitPhoto by RODNAE ProductionsIn May 2006, high school seniors Sutton, then 17, and Phillips were out with friends celebrating Phillips' 18th birthday. They were on their way home with two other friends when they found themselves in the middle of a drive-by shooting."It went down the same night as my 18th birthday," Phillips, 34, told News 5 Cleveland. "Everybody was like, 'Let's go out for your birthday. Let's celebrate.' But wrong place, wrong time."According to the University of Cincinnati's Ohio Innocence Project (a nonprofit that works to release wrongfully convicted people from prison), the 4 boys were stuck in traffic when someone in a gold-colored car in front of them leaned out and fired at another vehicle. Two people suffered injuries. Police arrested Sutton and his friends and they were charged with multiple counts including attempted murder and assault. Two of the teens were eventually found not guilty. However, Sutton and Phillips were convicted of the crimes after two police officers falsely testified that the shots came from the teens' car and that Phillips also fired shots at officers during a foot chase.At the time of their conviction, there was no physical evidence linking them to the crime. The prosecution was never able to produce a gun or any shell casings and there was no one that corroborated the officers' version of events, despite a crowd of witnesses that night.And yet, a jury found the teens guilty and sentenced them to prison where they would end up serving 15 years.How the Two Innocent Men Were Finally ExoneratedIn May 2021, thanks to new evidence brought to light by the Ohio Innocence Project and the Wrongful Conviction Project, Sutton and Phillips' initial convictions were overturned. After years of proclaiming their innocence, they were finally released from prison.And in September 2022, a jury unanimously found them not guilty in a retrial.A decade and a half later, their nightmare finally came to an end."This is what happens when police officers get it wrong and refuse to acknowledge their mistake," Donald Caster, Sutton's lawyer with the Innocence Project said in a statement. "Michael and Kenny were robbed of their early adulthood. Everything that people do in their late teens and twenties — to college, start a career, meet their partner, start a family — has all been delayed for Michael and Kenny. They are remarkable and they will overcome what was taken from them, but they shouldn't have to."Leaders at the University of Akron in Ohio agree.The University of Akron Steps Up & Takes a Stand Against InjusticePhoto by Element5 DigitalAfter hearing about what happened to Sutton and Phillips, the University of Akron decided to give the men back a piece of their future that was stolen.The school's president, Gary L. Miller, reached out to them and offered them full-ride scholarships to the university.Miller explained, "We are doing this as a way to present an opportunity ripped from their lives. An education gives you the opportunity for a fresh start."For Sutton, it's a full-circle moment. He had a full-ride scholarship to Akron back in 2006 before his life exploded. "It feels like a dream come true," Sutton said of the second chance scholarship. "This was something I always dreamed about but being locked in prison for so long I didn't think it could happen."He plans on pursuing a degree in business administration.As for Phillips, he also plans to take the university up on its offer. He's looking into taking business, sports management, or social work. They will both start courses in the fall."God gave us back everything we thought we lost, double time," said Phillips. "I gotta keep going strong not just for myself because I thought it was for myself, but for God. He was like, 'No, I saved you for a reason, keep putting out the message.'"By giving them the opportunity to pursue their education without the burden of student debt, the university has given them a chance to start fresh and build a new future for themselves. A future they both deserve.

13-Year-Old Sells Tea on the Street in the Cold for Earthquake Victims - University Awards Him a Full Scholarship
Everyday Heroes

13-Year-Old Sells Tea on the Street in the Cold for Earthquake Victims - University Awards Him a Full Scholarship

Last month the world watched in horror as a catastrophic earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria, killing more than 50,000 people and causing widespread destruction.Among those watching was 13-year-old Bosnian Benjamin Mehanovic. After witnessing the devastation on television with his family, Benjamin decided he wanted to do something to help.How a Young Boy Helped Provide Much-Needed Aid to Earthquake VictimsBenjamin started his own aid campaign in the best kid-way possible — by setting up a small tea stand on the streets of his hometown, Sarajevo.His mission? To raise funds for the babies and children affected by the earthquake.The industrious 8th grader told the Anadolu Agency: "I saw the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria on television. Then I had the idea to set up a tea stand. I also invited my friends to join me and proposed to donate the money collected to the local aid organization Pomozi.ba or use it to buy the needed baby products."Armed with a small folding table, a homemade sign, and his huge heart to keep him warm, Benjamin braved the cold for 4 hours a day, selling tea for 50 cents a cup. He raised more than $100 in two days (that's over 200 cups of tea!). He then used his earnings to purchase diapers, baby food, and personal hygiene products such as toothbrushes and toothpaste.His efforts didn't go unnoticed.How $100 Turned Into a Full-Ride ScholarshipBenjamin Mehanović | IUSBenjamin's selfless act of kindness caught the attention of the Foundation for Education Development Sarajevo and the International University of Sarajevo (IUS).University administrators invited him to the IUS campus and surprised the young philanthropist with a special ceremony during which they awarded him a full scholarship. Something they feel is well-deserved.Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yıldırım, IUS Rector said of Benjamin: “He is a little boy who has a big heart. He is an example of what humankind should do in difficult moments. Benjamin has already become a part of the IUS family and he proves that one person can change the world.”RELATED: Elderly Neighbor Calls the Cops on a 9-Year-Old Black Girl Because He Was “Scared” – Then Yale University Takes OverBenjamin plans on using the scholarship toward a medical degree, hoping to become a doctor. "I would like to be a medical student because I like to help people," he said. For now, he may only be 13 years old but he's already making a difference in the lives of those who are suffering. While many of us think about doing something, Benjamin didn't hesitate to take action. He saw a need and he immediately did what he could to help fill it. He truly is an inspiration and a reminder that we all have the power to help each other no matter how young or old we are.Turkey and Syria are still reeling from the devastating effects of the earthquake. According to the U.N. more than 7 million children were affected. Over 850,000 are still in need of humanitarian support. Donations can still be made through various organizations including the Red Cross and Unicef.

High School Teen Accepted to Over 50 US Colleges — Receives More Than $1.3 Million in Scholarship Offers
Motivation

High School Teen Accepted to Over 50 US Colleges — Receives More Than $1.3 Million in Scholarship Offers

A young woman from Atlanta has assembled quite the academic portfolio. Daya Brown, a high school senior, has been offered more than $1.3 million in cumulative scholarships on her way to be accepted to over 50 colleges spread all across America.There’s only one Daya Brown, though, so in the end, she could only choose to attend one school. What did Daya do that made her such an eligible young scholar, though?Daya Brown Started Planning for College Years Before ApplyingFarrah Brown/FacebookIn a post shared on Facebook and viewed thousands of times, Daya Brown’s mother, Farrah, says she tells her children to have one job and that is to "take their education seriously and to be well rounded and advocate for themselves."The "super proud mom" says Daya has understood the assignment for sure." And we'd have to agree.Daya was working hard at her “job” of excelling at studies, taking on plenty of extracurriculars, and actively planning for college applications years before it would actually come time to apply.RELATED: As A Child, She Lived In A Garbage Dump – Today, She Just Earned A College ScholarshipIn regard to her impressive college acceptances, Daya said she started her process in quarantine during her sophomore year. "I started to curate a list of schools that had certain majors or were great in what I wanted to study which was mass communications or film," she said. "Once I had that list, it all came down to doing those extracurricular activities, because I think a lot of the times students don't understand that you have to be more than just a student.”While ensuring she kept her grades up, Daya also got involved with writing poetry, prose, and film production — which she saw as a potential future career. She went so far as to form her own production company through which she tried to inspire and support other young media producers.“That was my chance to showcase who I was as a person and who I was as a scholar,” Daya said. “I think a lot of people think that if you're smart, you can't be cool. So I found a way to showcase brilliance [and] still have fun while you're doing it.”Daya was not alone in her efforts to mold herself, either. She and her family described it all as a "village effort," with everyone from her parents, grandma, and her brother helping her along the way.The Applications Followed by the Acceptances and OffersTypically, high schoolers hoping to go on to college apply to a handful of schools. Most have their longshot dream school, a bunch of middle-ground choices, and the slightly disdainfully named “safety school.”Daya cast a wider net than that, though. She applied to dozens and dozens of schools, often spending several hours each day, day after day, thoroughly completing applications.Her hard work more than paid off — both the actual applications and all the years spent applying herself in school work and in life. Daya would be offered a spot at a staggering 50-plus colleges and universities, and if all the scholarships she was offered were totaled, they would amount to more than $1.3 million.Of course, Daya had to choose just one school, and she settled on Duke University.In fact, even after all that work, the choice wasn’t all that hard for this young scholar. "When we stepped foot on Duke’s campus, I honestly had the feeling at that very moment… a sense of home," she said. "I was welcomed by so many amazing Black students who look just like me, who have the same dreams and aspirations as me as well.”She had found her new village.