Paola Bacigalupo

I was attending Montgomery College (MC) as a part-time student while working a full-time job and having trouble completing my Associates Degree. A close family friend saw I was struggling and told me about how she graduated from the University of Maryland Global Campus (formally UMUC) with her Bachelor’s Degree in Business at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG). I was amazed when she told me this because at the time she was pursuing her degree she was also expecting her first child and working a full-time job all while taking online courses. This allowed her to study while working a full-time job to provide for her and her child. Upon graduating, she landed a job working for the government. It was inspiring to hear her story and it gave me hope because I knew that if she could do it, so could I.

After five long years, I was finally able to graduate from MC with my Associates Degree and decided to continue my studies at the University of Maryland, College Park at USG. Although, it would have been nice to attend classes on the main campus, financially I would not have been able to afford it and the commute would’ve been almost impossible for me, which is why I am so grateful for the existence of USG.

Now I am attending school full-time and getting involved on campus. I joined a few organizations and can focus on my film classes, which is where my passion is. The craziest part about it is that I will be graduating next fall with my Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, something I never thought I would’ve been able to do.

As a first-generation college student, I have learned so many things and have been able to create goals for myself that I didn’t think possible before. One of those goals is to pursue my dream to become a film director. I am very thankful for all that USG has done for me. If I have learned one thing out of this crazy journey called life, it is that anything is possible because the opportunities are out there waiting.