By: Vy Pham

I used to be a very stubborn and a quiet girl. My parents always complained to me because of that. I also received a lot of sarcasm from my relative because of my personality. However, because of my personality, I always proved to myself through my actions and achievements instead of words.

Vy is my name and I was born in a small country of Vietnam, in a normal family. The thought of studying in the U.S. was a dream for me. Therefore, one of my biggest goals was to study abroad based on my academic successes. During my high school years, I studied hard to give myself an opportunity to explore the world and guess what, I did it.

I remembered my first-time landing in United States at the beginning of May, 2018. My feelings were hard to explain and all together made my heart was pounding hard. At that moment, I knew that I finally made it and I knew this was just the beginning of a long journey that awaited me.

At first, I had a lot of difficulties in integrating into the college community because of language barriers and differences in culture. However, I feel that I have been very fortunate to be a part of St. Petersburg College (SPC), my second home. At SPC, I met many important people who changed my life and helped me move forward. As an international student, I am grateful to have a dedicated and listening advisor who listened to all my problems, who later gave me the opportunity to work as her student assistant. She is like a family member who is always ready to help and encourage me. St. Petersburg College is also the place where I met many friends whom I thought I would never have when I arrived to the U.S. They are like brothers and sisters who have taught me so many things in daily life through all their experiences.

Also, participating in college clubs and meeting many different people motivated me to break out of my shell. The members, advisors, and mentors, they gave me many opportunities, that have taught me many lessons in leadership and teamwork. In the end, with what I learned, I became a Historian of Student Government Association and a officer of many other clubs. Those are valuable lessons that not everyone can have, so I am thankful to the school community for being a perfect steppingstone to my college journey.

For me to get here, it is impossible not to mention the merit of the professors who helped me in all the lessons. They are always patient with students’ questions and are always ready to help. I received many scholarships from the SPC Foundation, where generous donors have contributed to the college for supporting students. St. Petersburg College is a place that has opened a lot of opportunities and supported me from the beginning and will always be a part of me.

With all I have achieved here, I am very proud and grateful to receive a valuable merits scholarship from University of Massachusetts for my bachelor’s degree to continue my journey. If it had not been for St. Petersburg College, I wouldn’t have been who I am today. They have taught me a lot and provided me with a solid foundation for me to follow along my chosen path. I am grateful to St. Petersburg College and no written or verbal appreciation will be ever enough.