I am super grateful to have spent my first term at Dartmouth College on-campus in Hanover, New Hampshire. The transition was admittedly a bit jarring as administrators, professors, and students alike struggled to adapt to the challenges presented by COVID-19. The theme that surfaced from this struggle, however, was what attracted me to Dartmouth in the first place: community. I felt fully the support network which spans Dartmouth’s many endeavors, the Upper Valley, and the Ivy League. With the easing of COVID restrictions (as well as its hopefully imminent end), I endeavor to further connect myself to these many different communities. This past term, despite not operating at 100%, was one rife with growth and excitement. My classes––a writing course, a Spanish course, and an international relations course––were very engaging, and I am proud of my academic performance given this term’s online format. I also met many incredible people with equally incredible stories, and I spent a great deal of time exploring the beautiful natural environment of the Upper Valley. I know with full confidence that I made the right decision in choosing Dartmouth, and I cannot wait to return to campus in March. In the interim beforehand, I will be taking remote classes from Colorado and then from Puerto Rico, again speaking to the flexibility of Dartmouth’s current academic programming. I am very excited to literally and metaphorically expand my horizons. I would like to extend my gratitude to MVYouth for all your help, especially given the turbulence of this past year. I felt my island’s love more than ever before in this very challenging year, and your compassion not only makes a long-lived dream a reality, but also inspires me a tremendous deal. Thank you and thank you again!
Spencer Pogue - Columbia University
My first semester at Columbia University was exciting and provided me with lots of personal and academic growth. Despite the University’s shift to an online educational modality, I still chose to move to New York City for the semester and lived in an apartment near campus so that I would still be able to transition away from living at home. As for my classes, I enjoyed being able to take a combination of Columbia’s Core classes and prerequisite courses for my major and for medical school. In my required University Writing course, I enrolled in a section that focused on readings in Medical Humanities and gained experience writing research papers about essays and artwork by authors and artists like Johanna Hedva, Susan Sontag, and Frida Kahlo. This class ultimately reshaped how I view medicine and illness, and solidified my desire to pursue a career in healthcare. In addition, I also began my STEM education at Columbia with General Chemistry, which challenged me to adapt to learning difficult content in an online environment while maintaining proper study habits and time for self-care. Outside of academics, I have also become involved in a few organizations and activities on campus. I joined the Operations Committee for Columbia Synapse, an neuroscience education organization that focuses on community involvement and advocacy for people suffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries. I also continued to pursue my interests in medicine and literature by becoming an Associate Editor for Columbia’s Journal of Global Health, a publication that features public health research from student scientists from all over the United States. Lastly, I have also been taking advantage of free student access to New York City museums, and have already explored the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA with my roommates and friends. Overall, this semester I have pushed myself to appreciate my new surroundings and to seek out many of the new opportunities that are available to me. My unique education at Columbia would not have been possible without MVYouth, so I am grateful that this organization has allowed me to follow such an enriching educational journey.
Jackson Pizzano - UMASS, Stockbridge
This past semester at UMass Amherst, Stockbridge was very different than I expected my first semester of college to go. I stayed in an off-campus house and attended one in-person class a week. Other than my one in-person class the rest were online. This made for a very challenging semester as I prefer to be in a classroom. My in-person class was one of the best parts of this semester, it was an arboriculture tech class where we climbed trees. Every Friday I would meet my class somewhere on campus and we would pick out trees to climb up. Since UMass did not offer any intermediate spots this semester I found a hockey league to play for in a rink near my house. We played every Sunday and it was a great thing to look forward to every week. Living in a house off-campus was definitely a learning experience. Making good meals for myself everyday and budgeting my time effectively took some time to figure out but I have slowly been able to get better at both. I have reached out to a couple arborists hoping to get an internship over the summer. I have found the field I chose to be more interesting than I thought and I am very excited to get back to classes. I'm very grateful for the opportunity MVYouth has given me and am very thankful for all the support.
Danielle Middleton - Howard University
Following a quiet summer of staying at home and spending my time rotating between hobbies or connecting with friends online, my first semester of college at Howard University couldn’t come soon enough! Though it wasn’t the typical learning experience, my professors were all adept with the transition to online learning, and I had a positive experience. It wasn’t the same as being on campus, but through programs like Zoom, I was able to see everyone at the same time, and communication was easily facilitated through virtual hand-raising or chat messaging. My English class was especially good at this, and I’ve had many thought-provoking conversations in the class as thoughts were spurred on by another's commentary; definitely one of my favorite classes. It was cool to see my classmates and professors in their natural home environments. Whether it be their study, backyard, or living room, it was a fun way of seeing a glimpse into someone else’s life. Additionally, I’ve been fortunate to be an Assistant-Director on a committee for the 2021 National High School Model United Nations conference. This has been a dream come true since I’ve been participating in Model UN since my sophomore year of high school. Through this experience, I’ve been able to become a published author through collaboration with talented college-aged individuals from all over the world. It’s been a healthy balance of work and fun in between deadlines before the conference, and I’ve even gotten the chance to use my foreign language skills. I look forward to the conference in March. A lot has happened this past year, but it's amazing to see people’s resiliency. It has been a blessing to know that with all the uncertainty this year has brought, MVYouth has always been there to offer support towards me and my education.
Jack Holmes - Brown University
This year has brought about unprecedented change in every aspect of our lives. My first semester of college proved no different. Brown switched to a trimester schedule this year in the hopes of diminishing the density of students on campus, and as a Freshman, I was not given the option for a full set of classes in the fall. Instead, I was able to take one class remotely. I took this opportunity to explore my interest in medical studies by taking the course Biotechnology in Medicine. This class showed me the many routes a medical career could take and introduced me to the different fields of medical technology. During this time, I also prepared for my spring semester by meeting with advisors and planning for my first full schedule of classes. Another one of the changes that came with Brown’s move to a trimester was the creation of a summer semester that is to be attended by all freshmen. This posed a problem as anyone who knows the island understands the summer is the season for making money. To make up for this summer I am set to miss, I worked with my father this fall doing property management. The work, while helping me afford college, also introduced to me a wide variety of practical new skills such as painting, shingling, carpentry, power washing, landscaping, and nearly every other type of job that can be done on a house. While I was disappointed not getting the chance to begin my college experience this semester, I knew the adjustments were necessary to keep students and faculty safe, and I enjoyed the precious time I was given with my family. Even with all these new challenges, I will be lucky enough to attend college in the spring and for that I have MVYouth to thank. This scholarship is an invaluable tool that is giving me the flexibility to attend school in a year that is, to say the least, been difficult and tumultuous for us all.
Imani Hall - Duke University →
As for virtually everyone this year, the theme of my 2020 has been all about readjusting my expectations and rolling with the punches. I was initially very disappointed that my first semester at college would be Zoom classes from my dorm room, but once I learned that many of my friends were not able to go to their campus at all, I completely shifted my perspective. Moving to Durham, North Carolina during COVID-19 has been one big adventure, and although it was nothing like what I expected, I had an incredible time. Despite the pandemic, I was able to experience plenty of “first college moments.” Almost all of my classes were on Zoom, but they were still interesting, challenging, and rewarding. Meeting people is harder without activities and with masks on, but I still made the most inspiring and amazing friends. I even auditioned for two dance clubs and was thrilled to get accepted into both! One of my dance groups’ mission is to explore and celebrate multi-cultures and I absolutely love meeting students from all over the world and learning about their culture through our shared love for dance. Clubs and volunteering opportunities were also moved online for the semester, but I was still able to make connections virtually. I joined Duke Synapse, an organization that works to bring students and faculty together to appreciate neuroscience, Dance Expressions, a club where in a normal year students volunteer and teach dance classes to the local community, and Duke’s chapter of the Rotaract club. I really look forward to getting more involved in the Durham community, where my school is located. It is easy to feel bummed about what we’re missing as freshmen, but what I learned the most this year is that you have to look at your blessings instead! I already feel extremely grateful for making it into Duke and for MVYouth making it possible, but during this year of hardship, I appreciate all the opportunities even more!
Julia Gomes - New England Hair Academy
Covid took a toll on many plans I had this past year, but I thankfully made the most out of this past fall. During my time at New England Hair Academy barbering program, I have mastered several cutting techniques, as well as learned how to use a straight edge razor for shaves and line ups. Working with the public can seem intimidating at this time, however the school has taken immense caution to make sure both the barbers and clients feel safe. Because of this, I have been awarded this past semester with an outstanding freshman, perfect attendance, and most clients serviced certificates. I have made new friends at school, but also at my salon job on Newbury St, in the heart of Boston, where I have met both donors to MVYouth as well as island residents! I also got a kitten that keeps me company in my apartment! This past semester has moved quickly, but it has also been refreshing, invigorating and busy. I have had a very smooth transition from the island to the Boston area, and I am adjusting happily to my new routines. I’m extremely grateful for MVYouth’s generosity towards so many young islanders, and I would not be where I am without your help. Thank you!
Emanuel DaSilva - Bristol Community College
This past fall and winter I have been working six days a week and planning for my future. I also have been thinking about when I will start college with all this pandemic going on. I will have to take some time off school as of right now because I will not be able to give my 100% to school. My main focus now is to think about my future and how I can manage to get there the way I picture it. I have been working with construction for a year now and I learn something new every day. I can help frame a whole house helping my dad and other workers that also work at the same company. I want to become successful around this area, and becoming an architect in the future can help me get me where I want to be. Covid has affected my life in a way that it made me think a lot of the things that I care about the most and that from now on I have to make the right choices for my life. But I’m grateful for all the things that I have accomplished so far and it's only the beginning of my journey.
Kelly Cleary - Cape Cod Community College
My first Semester at Cape Cod Community College has been a little tough. Attending the Aviation Maintenance Program is great and there is nothing to not like about this path. Due to COVID-19 I had to adapt to learning remotely. Luckily enough, we were able to get back into the hangars in August to continue working hands on. For starters, from the day I started and moving forward my classmates and I have considered ourselves a family. We continue to help each other in every and any way we can. Whether it’s help with a test, a car issue, and the list continues! The relationships we have made will last a life time. Spending time with my classmates, who also have the same passion, reminds me every day why I am here and will continue to move forward. I enjoy every second of it. Besides these moments I never lose interest in what is being taught. Whether it’s weighting and balancing an aircraft or aircraft drawings, it is always interesting and intriguing. It could never get old! Not only is the education wonderful, but our instructors find a way to make sure we are well educated and share with us their backgrounds and help us understand things we don’t because they have been there already. The instructors we have are very knowledgeable and continue to help us understand every detail every day. In conclusion, I cannot wait to continue to further my education. This has been the best experience I’ve had so far. I cannot wait to get into the field! It is hard to find the words to describe how wonderful this time has been. I’m beyond thankful for the MVYouth scholarship for accommodating my needs in such a short of amount of time! I would not have been here without all of you!
Garrett Broadley - New England Institute of Technology
To say the beginning of my 2020 year of school was a crazy ride would definitely be an understatement. With the pandemic happening right at the end of my third quarter it held me back from going back and swiftly completing my fourth quarter on time. My fourth quarter started at the beginning of summertime, and it was strictly online. The quarter I did fully online was my electrical course so not being hands-on and not being able to actually hold the tools in my hands didn’t make it easy. It caused a massive learning curve, but it was one that I needed to overcome. Then New England Institute of Technology made it possible for my lab classes to be in person, but my lectures were online, which was great at the time. I would have done anything to get back to start working with my hands again. But there was a catch - everyone needed to stay distanced, which made it hard to watch when my instructor would demonstrate how to do a task that was discussed in our online zoom lecture. The dorms were still closed so I had to commute from Martha’s Vineyard to East Greenwich which is in Rhode Island every Monday and would stay in Rhode Island in a hotel until Thursday when my lab classes ended. Now that the dorms have opened back up it has been much easier and less stressful because I don’t have to worry if the boats will be canceled or have to deal with the drive twice a week. Because the school closed the dorms for winter break when I go back to school on January 11th, I will need to quarantine for two weeks because Massachusetts is a hot spot, and because of that I will sadly have fully online classes for those two weeks again but it is a precaution that is needed to be done. I know that this has been a curved road to the completion of my classes at New England Institute of Technology but I am quite literally in the home stretch before I graduate and get into the field and start working and expanding my knowledge. And I couldn’t be more grateful for the scholarship that I received that has truly helped me overcome the long drives and the back and forth on the boat every week.
Peter Burke - Middlebury College
Despite all of the obstacles Coronavirus has brought, my first semester at Middlebury has provided assurance that my decision to commit early decision was unquestionably correct. In addition to excellent professors and compelling course options, the community I have found among the student body, town, and my cross country team has been optimal. The culture there encourages hard work and collaboration while also enjoying the attractions of Vermont. It felt ike I achieved a great balance between focusing on studies, running plenty, and enjoying my time there. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the professor's willingness to host office hours and provide advice or help. This helped me get the most out of all aspects of the beginning of my time at Middlebury. Coronavirus presented some challenges, as many classes were partially or totally online and interactions with peers were somewhat limited, but all things considered this semester went smoothly. Two of my four classes were completely in person, and I came away with all positive experiences, including online learning. Academically, it was definitely more challenging and independent than in high school, but I was proud of the work I did and how it paid off. Classes such as Linear Algebra and Macroeconomics presented some conceptually difficult topics with interesting connections to the real world. I really appreciated how the professors in all of my classes would highlight these connections to take learning beyond the classroom. On top of academics I was a member of both the men’s cross country and track teams. That has been a great experience as both teams have excellent team culture and the upperclassmen make everyone feel comfortable transitioning to college. Continuing to pursue academics and athletics at Middlebury has left me with all positive takeaways from my first semester. I am looking forward to going back in February to pick up where I left off.
Galya Walt - Tufts University
While this year has been nothing but unexpected, there have been many changes in my life that I am so grateful for. This past spring I finished up senior year and completed my thesis on involuntary commitment for people using substances in Massachusetts. I am so grateful for my time on Tufts campus, and I was able to commemorate my time there with friends and family over Zoom celebrations. Since graduation, I have been working at Boston Medical Center on a study that is using community engagement to reduce opioid overdose deaths in Massachusetts. I love my work, and I am learning so much about working with communities, qualitative research, interviewing and the widespread need for respectful substance use care. I am deeply grateful for fulfilling remote work during this time. Looking ahead, I am hoping to return to school after two years at Boston Medical Center to get a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Health. I believe my interest in focusing on mental health care from a public health perspective will be fully engaged by these programs, and I am excited to see where that goes! In the meantime, I am learning and listening to mentors at my work who have taught me so much about public health and community engaged work in just the past six months. Thank you so much to MVYouth who gave me such a meaningful four years at Tufts. I am so grateful for your support. I can feel the skills and friendships Tufts gave me continuing to support me during this challenging year. I am filled with gratitude for that experience.
Kaela Vecchia-Zeitz - New York University
Since we last checked in, a lot has changed in my life, and I am sure in yours, as well. I thought I would be in Thailand, or Columbia or Europe right now, hiking mountains and wandering cities, meeting locals, but instead I am home, in the town of Vineyard Haven I grew up in, biking along the Lagoon and seeing the island in a new way. Since we last checked in, countless horrific events have transpired in our world, but there have been some silver-linings for me, and hopefully for you, too. My silver-lining happened in March. As the world was shutting down, so did my campus, and the agency where I had interned at for the prior year. As most of my NYU classmates terminated their field placements, my supervisor offered me a paid temporary remote position within another program of the same larger agency - The EMPOWER Center, a health center servicing survivors of sex trafficking. I worked at The EMPOWER Center from March until the job’s end date in late June. Throughout those first 3.5 months of quarantine, I worked out of my parent’s Vineyard Haven basement in the same room I slept in each night, calling, emailing and texting clients living in New York City. It was the hardest experience of my life, and also gave me great insight into what it truly takes to be a social worker supporting survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and/or sex trafficking. By July, I realized I needed a break from social work, and decided to take this year living at home to learn how to best take care of myself, so in the future I can better take care of others. Among this silver lining, I graduated from NYU, and plan to start my MSW at the University of Chicago in Summer 2022.
Meghan Sonia - Anna Maria College
Even though this semester and year have been a little unusual and at times difficult, my semester was one of my best yet academically. This semester I pushed myself and enrolled in eight courses. Six of those were ranging from Organic Chemistry to Theology to a Photo class. With this semester being my last year before my challenging nursing classes begin, I decided to get involved a bit more with the school. This semester, on top of my 6 required classes I decided to become a peer mentor and help the incoming freshmen during this trying year. It was such a rewarding experience, especially this year because there were very few opportunities for freshmen to learn from upperclassmen. As for the rest of my courses, I was fortunate enough to thrive due to the low amount of cases which allowed us to remain in-person for the majority of my classes. I was also incredibly fortunate to be able to participate in both field and ice hockey with a limited amount of restrictions. Since we weren’t allowed to compete, we used this time to focus on our skills and better our weaknesses. If we can compete in our spring season, we will be able to use the skills that we practiced this fall and apply them to game-time scenarios. This semester was a growing time. I learned three major things when faced with adversity. I have to accept that I cannot change what is happening, be willing to adapt my plans to my new world, and continue to push myself and not let myself use that obstacle as a reason to not succeed. I am so thankful to MVYouth for giving me this opportunity to learn how I can react in the face of adversity while also bettering my education.
Max Smith - Cape Cod Community College
This past semester went quite differently than anyone could have imagined. What started off last spring as a normal return to classes, day to day life as a student continued just as normal as before. Everyday was spent with my fellow classmates learning everything we could about aviation mechanics, everything from learning to draw part diagrams to creating those exact parts in the sheet metal shop. What we all expected to be a fun and relaxing spring break eventually ended up being a lengthy hiatus from the shop and a new world of online learning. A unique but challenging way of learning for myself and many others. As a trade school student studying to be a technician you could probably understand the difficulty of learning such over Zoom! But through perseverance and maybe a little bit of luck we were able to make it through and eventually make it back for some brief time in the hangar before finishing the first major part of my license, the airframe section of the airframe and powerplant certification. I decided that to get the most from my education I would take a pause for the second section until the madness that surrounds us all settles down and I will be able to continue my study in a way that I will be sure to understand everything presented to me. In this period of absence I have been working on the island for a company, Fuller’s Energy, which installs residential and commercial solar systems all throughout the island. Although it doesn’t exactly pertain to my field of study I have definitely enjoyed learning about this field and how far solar technology has come and continues to grow. It feels good to see the continued growth of green energy on our island and it feels even better to be able to be a part of that growth. I look forward to returning soon to finish my mechanical trade but for now I am happy to be back on island and helping out in the ways I can. As always, thank you to all MVYouth has given and continues to give to me and the community. Your support means so much to so many, myself included.
Emma Searle - Boston College
While this fall semester looked quite different than the last, I have been so lucky to be able to continue my education on Boston College’s campus despite the pandemic. This fall, I declared a Philosophy major with a Perspectives Concentration in addition to my Communication major, and have been thoroughly enjoying my classes in both disciplines. This year, I am taking Perspectives II: Modernism and the Arts, and have so enjoyed continuing my study of philosophy alongside modernist art and literature. I am also working towards the completion of my Communication requirements, enrolling in critical methods and public speaking courses, which certainly looked different this semester in an online format. I have also been very fortunate to continue dancing with the Boston College Dance Ensemble in our Brighton Campus studio and look forward to the possibility of performing virtually at some point in the future. I have also begun working as the External Editor of the Bellarmine Law Society Review, a biannual publication of undergraduate legal scholarship, and have so enjoyed the exposure to the opinions of many undergraduate scholars provided by this position. As COVID-19 has created a very unique on-campus environment this year, my friends and I have been spending lots of time outside on BC’s greenspaces and finding new ways to explore the city of Boston in a COVID-safe manner. Most recently, I began my application to study abroad next fall. Though COVID certainly poses some logistical challenges to this endeavor, I am very excited by the breadth of opportunities that BC offers. I am immeasurably grateful to MVYouth for your continued support, and look forward to all that the rest of my time at BC will bring.
Meghan Sawyer - Colgate University
This semester I was fortunate to have the opportunity to live at school and attend classes in-person and online. To ensure it would be a safe learning environment, my university enforced a two week quarantine period upon arrival. Our meals were delivered to us and we attended classes online until the quarantine period ended. I wasn’t totally stuck inside though as we were allotted two periods of outside time a day where we could exercise and escape our rooms. This is my first year as an upperclassman, so I got to enjoy the benefits of living in a university owned apartment with three of my close friends. I found this especially beneficial for the quarantine period as I wasn’t confined to just a dorm room. I also enjoyed having my own kitchen because I spent a lot of my time cooking my own meals and trying new recipes. Covid-19 restrictions hindered a lot of my extracurricular activities, but as restrictions were lifted I was able to return to the things I loved doing like playing ultimate frisbee on the club team with my friends. I had a particularly tough course load this semester, but two of my favorite classes were Games and Strategies and Health Economics. In Games and Strategies I learned about game theory, which is the study of decisions where the best strategy requires taking into account the decisions of others. In Health Economics I learned tools to study health care markets. We learned about social determinants of health, supply and demand of health insurance, hospital competition, comparisons of different health systems in the world, and more. Even with all the covid restrictions I had a great semester, and it gave me a greater appreciation of my university for working so hard to allow the students to come back. I would like to thank MVYouth for their continued financial support throughout my higher education. I am so grateful, and I cannot wait to return to school for the spring semester!
Nayson Peres - UMASS
This last year has been educational both inside and outside of the lecture hall. Things started off great, I was enjoying my classes and extracurriculars. Science concepts I had learned began to combine in courses like biochemistry while others like anatomy and nutrition were pleasantly engaging. Then the pandemic arrived in March and the campus closed. As I returned home, the Vineyard’s social isolation was in full effect and the next weeks and months were - as I’m sure all can attest - shocking and strange. The knowledge I acquired these past years about diseases, community health risks and responses, controversial medical issues surrounding vaccines, etc. has been immensely insightful. Also, thanks to the real world experience of the pandemic during these last months, I’ve come to realize how challenging it can be to navigate biological and health-related ideas and issues. I can only now start to appreciate how these crucial fields are interconnected to socioeconomic and political factors and implications. From the disruption of work and schooling to mental weariness and stress caused by social isolation and quarantine, the pandemic’s effects are legion. Since I decided to stay home for the fall I’ve kept myself busy. While on the Vineyard, I’ve been working and volunteering for my local community. Although the summer was safe and productive, the new normal is here to stay, while we all cope with its challenges. On the other hand, I plan and am eager to return back to campus to finish my studies in 2021, hopefully leaving behind the abnormal circumstances that have marked 2020. Lastly, I’d like to thank MVYouth for its support, including all those who contribute to MVYouth’s projects. May it continue its great work for the Vineyard and its residents.
Paulo Pereira Filho - University of Massachusetts, Amherst
It is incredible how fast my college experience has transpired. Although my final year was not at all what I was expecting, and all my classes were entirely remote, I made the most out of the situation in every way I could. I continued to stay just as busy, if not busier, as my previous “normal” semesters. When I wasn’t busy with schoolwork, I frequently participated in virtual Zoom meetings for clubs and career panels with numerous guest speakers. Additionally, I have been doing a significant amount of post-grad planning, and as I continue to prepare for what lies ahead in the near future, I have solidified the conclusion that I would like to continue my education in the years to come by pursuing a Master’s degree. The highlight of the semester was my honors thesis, which I completed through the capstone courses of the Isenberg School and Honors College, “Business Strategy & Entrepreneurial Leadership.” To briefly summarize an extensive thesis project, my research addressed the future of meat consumption as consumers seek to incorporate more plant-based meat alternatives into their diets, consequent to learning about the negative externalities associated with conventional meat consumption. Among the many things I learned upon completion, the most pertinent is the environmental effects and inefficiencies linked to livestock and conventional meat production. It is more important now than ever before to address the impacts of climate change, and one way to do so is through consumers’ dietary habits. Following this, the capstone professor, who guided me through the honors thesis, asked me to assist him in completing his own thesis project next semester, which I am excited about. We will be researching and analyzing growth investment opportunities set to transform the landscape of industries within the Technology sector. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for the continued support of MVYouth and all those involved. These past four years have been filled with a myriad of new learning experiences and opportunities, none of which would have been possible without the support of MVYouth. I look forward to the day in which I am able to demonstrate my eternal appreciation and gratefulness for MVYouth and its donors. Thank you all so much for the opportunities you have given to me!
Charles Parkhurst - UCLA
It’s certainly been quite the crazy year, but I’m extremely grateful for the good fortune that I’ve had. A few months ago, Walmart eCommerce decided to close down the office in San Francisco and get rid of most positions within the company. I had the option of pursuing a new role at their office in Bentonville, Arkansas, but I decided it was best for me to look for other opportunities back in Los Angeles where I went to school. I’m now living with one of my best friends from college and I couldn’t be happier. On top of that, I ended up landing a dream job that I’ve been working at for a few weeks now. I’m working at a hedge fund, Stoic Strategies, which deals with the emerging cryptocurrency/blockchain industry. My position is as the Strategy Developer. I develop rule-based strategies for the fund to trade off of, as well as strategies for our software engineers to build automated trading algorithms for. I’m a few weeks in now, and I’m absolutely loving it. It’s very challenging work, but it could not be more interesting and engaging. I’ve been involved in the blockchain space for about three years now and have been learning about trading for over four, so I couldn’t imagine a job that I’d be happier doing and would be a better use of my skills and knowledge. I got to take on a lot of responsibility during my time at Walmart and got excellent experience, but I know that this job is going to turn out even better! Thank you so much for making this dream come true; without MV Youth I never would have had this chance!