Dipabali

Leaving behind his home, his family and his country, my father was given the chance to come to a foreign land, to the United States of America, a country where he hoped to fulfill his American Dream. In Bangladesh, he lived comfortably but once he came to America, he faced adversity primarily because of his limited education. After arriving to the United States, he had worked long shifts at minimum wage at various odd jobs. Even though he had no one to depend on, he was able to pay for a small modest apartment and later support my mother and me. My father’s struggles have instilled in me the importance of seizing opportunities and shaped the person I am today.

As a first-generation college student, my education and determination is all I can depend on. At school, I am surrounded by peers who do not have to worry about working to pay for their expenses. They would always ask why I worked so much on weekends and the only reply I would give is - because I have to. My unfortunate circumstances have brought about fortunate opportunities, one of which is becoming a NYNY Fellow. As a Fellow, I hope to bring alive the mission of the program - to connect my ambition with opportunity. I hope to be exposed to different career opportunities, learn how to network efficiently and most importantly grow as an individual. I want to build my character, become more confident in the person that I am and take on the world with a renewed inspiration. I feel blessed to be a part of this outstanding program and I hope that at the end of this journey, I am able to give back more than I was given.