I am one of the many Groton graduates whose education would not have been possible without financial aid, and I thank all donors who make financial aid their priority.
My career goal is to be a pediatric dentist because for years I hated going to the dentist, until I switched to one who had a knack for putting kids at ease. I double-majored in biology and Hispanic Culture and Literature Studies at Wesleyan College. Having just graduated, I'm working as an assistant dean in Wesleyan's admission office for a bit before I apply to dental school down the road.
My prents are first-generation Americans—on my mother's side, the family is from Portugal, on my father's, Italy. I think the world of my parents: they have always encouraged my three siblings and me to dream big.
Their wonderful parenting was in reaction to the lack of encouragement they themselves received growing up. As a result, my father never went to college and my mother went to a state college, but only over her family's objections. They have dedicated themselves to raising their children differently, as my enrollment at Groton School and then Wesleyan College demonstrates.
I have always been a serious hockey player, playing on both Groton's and Wesleyan's teams, and I now work on weekends as the College Advisor for the Boston Shamrocks. At Wesleyan, our coach led a team-building exercise in which each of us was asked to bring an object of importance and explain its significance to the rest of the team. I chose to show off my Groton ring and I explained the two reasons I consider it precious: first, I credit Groton for giving me a great education, great friends, and confidence; second, looking at my ring, which I always wear, reminds me that my mother sacrificed her own wedding ring a few years back to raise money for my education. My Groton ring is a constant reminder of my deep gratitude to Groton School and to my parents.
