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For Ana Maldonado,
the experience of studying abroad this summer presented her with
a series of “firsts.”
“It was the first time I’d been to Europe, the first time I’d
flown on a plane, and the first time I’d gone somewhere where I
didn’t know anyone else – I was totally alone,” says Maldonado.
She admits she was both anxious and nervous the week before she
left home to participate in the Summer Study in Paris program
sponsored through the University System of Georgia.
But once she and the other passengers caught a glimpse of the
Eiffel Tower on the approach to the airport, she says the
excitement onboard the jet was contagious.
“It was really wonderful,” she says of her arrival in Paris.
“It’s really hard to explain. The pictures I took don’t really
do it justice.”
Maldonado admits this was a dream come true, one that was
realized through a combination of her academic achievements, her
part-time job, and her DSC Foundation Study Abroad Scholarship.
With a 4.0 GPA, the HOPE Scholarship took care of her tuition
for the two six-hour classes. The $2000 scholarship from the
Foundation covered the bulk of the program’s expenses while the
money she’d earned and saved for several years while working for
Kaleen Rugs made up the difference. |
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“There was a time when I
did not think it would be possible for me to make that kind of
trip,” recalls Maldonado, whose parents brought her to the
United States, speaking no English, when she was just 11 years
old.
“But once you know you want to do something, you just have to
keep pushing on. If you try, you can do it. I knew I wanted to
go to Europe, and I kept pushing toward that goal.”
Pushing toward goals has been a constant in Maldonado’s life.
Her high GPA in college follows a 4.0 GPA earned at Dalton High
School. Her older brother, Juan, was the first in her family to
pursue a college education. He earned an associate degree in
2006 and is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree as well.
As a double major in marketing and in accounting, Maldonado will
take one extra year to earn both bachelor’s degrees, but she
expects to graduate in 2011.
“I chose Dalton State because it was close, and I wanted a
small, commuter college. But I decided to stay here. The
teachers in all of my classes have always had time for me. My
experience here as been very good.”
Maldonado says she chose to pursue marketing because she likes
how that academic discipline combines business and art.
“With marketing, you have to have business sense, but you also
have to be creative. There’s an art to it.”
Associate Professor of Accounting Cassie Bradley encouraged the
20-year-old to add eight other related courses (in addition to
those she’s already taken) to her program of study so that she
could also earn a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree as
well. That seemed like a smart move to Maldonado.
“I like accounting and I do well in it, and it’s a skill that is
needed in all businesses, so I know it will be very useful to me
in the future.”
Her choice of degree programs helped her narrow down her study
abroad options, Maldonado says.
“When I was little I always wanted to go to Europe, but I
couldn’t decide which city I wanted to go to because I wanted to
see all of them. One reason I chose the Paris program is because
they had courses that applied to my majors and my core
requirements.”
There she enrolled in Principles of Marketing and Music
Appreciation, and said the opportunities to take the required
field trips in both courses greatly enhanced her appreciation of
the material.
“In Principles of Marketing, we visited Where Magazine and
learned how they market their publication. We also visited the
Renaissance (Marriot) Hotel to see how they market to tourists.
In Music Appreciation, we studied from Classical to Modern
music, saw live concerts, and visited the Palace of Versailles,
Notre-Dome Cathedral, Opera Garnier, and Orsay Museum as class
field trips.”
Maldonado says this first study abroad experience has just whet
her appetite for more trips abroad. So she says she will
continue to study, work, and plan for her next trip.
“I can’t wait to go again and explore another country.”
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