For DonorsFor Applicants
user profile avatar

Yaquelin Ayala

3,265

Bold Points

2x

Finalist

2x

Winner

Bio

My name is Yaquelin Ayala. I am a former foster youth, first generation, single mother, account major student at California State University Fullerton. As a single mother, my main priority is to provide my son with a stable home environment. This has meant making considerable sacrifices to ensure that my son attends the same school, thereby allowing him to thrive academically. Although the challenges of being low income and a first generation college student, I am driven to show my son that it is never too late to pursue your dreams and that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. In my future, I envision myself having grown both personally and professionally. I see myself in a fulfilling job that provides security and stability for my family. I see myself continuing to pursue my education and taking courses that will help me grow further. I envision my son excelling academically, with a deep love for learning. My experiences have shown me that it's not about what happens to you in life, but rather how you choose to respond to it. My response is strength, courage, and a steadfast determination to pursue my dreams and provide a stable future for my family.

Education

California State University-Fullerton

Bachelor's degree program
2023 - 2027
  • Majors:
    • Mathematics and Computer Science
    • Accounting and Computer Science
  • Minors:
    • Data Analytics
  • GPA:
    3.9

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Master's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Accounting and Computer Science
    • Business/Managerial Economics
    • Business/Corporate Communications
    • Mathematics and Statistics, Other
    • Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Accounting

    • Dream career goals:

    • Quality Control Inspector

      Camtech Corp
      2013 – 20207 years

    Sports

    Soccer

    Junior Varsity
    Present

    Research

    • Psychology, General

      Social Psychology course — Questeoneer
      2021 – 2021

    Arts

    • Highschool Painting

      Painting
      multiple paintings, I gave away to teacher
      2010 – 2011

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Orange County Ronald McDonald House — Cook
      2018 – 2020

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Politics

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Ken Larson Memorial Scholarship
    I have a vivid memory of when, at 14 years old, my little sisters and I were placed in foster care and separated from our parents. Finding out about my fathers incarceration not only made me feel guilt but also relieved from being taken from that toxic environment. The frequent relocations made it difficult for me to form lasting friendships, and I often felt isolated. Despite this, I turned to therapy and forgiveness, which marked the beginning of my journey to find inner peace. After aging out of the system I went back to my birth mother’s home and fully forgave and understood some of the sacrifices she had to make in order to keep us safe. At 17, I became a mother and was determined not to repeat the cycle of hardship that my own mother had experienced. Choosing to be a single mother, I set out to create a different path for myself and my child. As a young mother who aged out of the system, I faced financial challenges and had to choose between work and education. My main goal is to earn an associate's degree in business administration and pursue a bachelor's in accounting at Cal State University Fullerton. This path will help me create a better life for myself and my son, securing a promising future. This scholarship would greatly support my educational goals in many ways. It's challenging for me to work full time as I'm in school full time and need to be on campus twice a week; therefore, I don't earn as much money as I need to save for school. Everyone says school comes first and work comes second, but I need to work to continue attending school. I am fortunate to have a job where they can be flexible with me and accommodate my school schedule, but I do feel disheartened at times. This scholarship will assist me with spring, summer, and fall tuition next year. Knowing that I can prioritize school 100% would lift a huge weight off my shoulders. This semester was my first at CSUF, and I can honestly say I loved it. This school offers numerous opportunities to expand my knowledge of what I want to do. I even applied for a finance minor that I didn't know existed there until one of my professors encouraged me to take that extra step and fill my brain with even more knowledge. This scholarship will enable me to add more courses to my schedule to graduate with my bachelor's in accounting and business analytics. I am a junior and expected to graduate in 2025. I need an internship to graduate, and I want it to be something I am passionate about. Most internships require you to go to them a few days a week. I want to find the right internship that reflects what I want to do after college to become a public accountant. I don't just want to find one to meet the graduation requirement or one that doesn't interfere with my work schedule. I earned my Associate's in Arts degree last December but aim to further my education. I always knew I wanted to take the next step and learn even more. This scholarship will help me further my education to reach my highest potential and stand out in the professional world. In the future, I envision myself actively working in the Santa Ana county ensuring a better future for the people in my community. I will use my skills and knowledge to advocate for policies prioritizing affordable housing and promoting sustainability.
    Sharon L. Smartt Memorial Scholarship
    I have a vivid memory of when, at 14 years old, my little sisters and I were placed in foster care and separated from our parents. Finding out about my fathers incarceration not only made me feel guilt but also relieved from being taken from that toxic environment. The frequent relocations made it difficult for me to form lasting friendships, and I often felt isolated. Despite this, I turned to therapy and forgiveness, which marked the beginning of my journey to find inner peace. After aging out of the system I went back to my birth mother’s home and fully forgave and understood some of the sacrifices she had to make in order to keep us safe. At 17, I became a mother and was determined not to repeat the cycle of hardship that my own mother had experienced. Choosing to be a single mother, I set out to create a different path for myself and my child. As a young mother who aged out of the system, I faced financial challenges and had to choose between work and education. My main goal is to earn an associate's degree in business administration and pursue a bachelor's in accounting at Cal State University Fullerton. This path will help me create a better life for myself and my son, securing a promising future. This scholarship would greatly support my educational goals in many ways. It's challenging for me to work full time as I'm in school full time and need to be on campus twice a week; therefore, I don't earn as much money as I need to save for school. Everyone says school comes first and work comes second, but I need to work to continue attending school. I am fortunate to have a job where they can be flexible with me and accommodate my school schedule, but I do feel disheartened at times. This scholarship will assist me with spring, summer, and fall tuition next year. Knowing that I can prioritize school 100% would lift a huge weight off my shoulders. This semester was my first at CSUF, and I can honestly say I loved it. This school offers numerous opportunities to expand my knowledge of what I want to do. I even applied for a finance minor that I didn't know existed there until one of my professors encouraged me to take that extra step and fill my brain with even more knowledge. This scholarship will enable me to add more courses to my schedule to graduate with my bachelor's in accounting and business analytics. I am a junior and expected to graduate in 2025. I need an internship to graduate, and I want it to be something I am passionate about. Most internships require you to go to them a few days a week. I want to find the right internship that reflects what I want to do after college to become a public accountant. I don't just want to find one to meet the graduation requirement or one that doesn't interfere with my work schedule. I earned my Associate's in Arts degree last December but aim to further my education. I always knew I wanted to take the next step and learn even more. This scholarship will help me further my education to reach my highest potential and stand out in the professional world. In the future, I envision myself actively working in the Santa Ana county ensuring a better future for the people in my community. I will use my skills and knowledge to advocate for policies prioritizing affordable housing and promoting sustainability.