In a country where there are many children who are not able to go to school due to poverty, we also hear so many inspiring stories of poor folks who found ways to send themselves to school and graduate from college.
Cherry Mae Toledo, 20, is among these inspiring young people who managed to complete her studies despite financial struggles. What’s even more impressive is that she graduated Magna Cum Laude!
While many might think she had it easy in life that’s why she gets to graduate with flying colors, Cherry Mae had actually faced a lot of hardships even as a child. Born to a poor family, Cherry Mae did not have much in life, but things took a turn for worse when her father had to serve time in jail.
Photo credit: Cherry Mae Toledo / Facebook
Later, Cherry Mae’s mother would leave her and her younger brother with their paternal grandmother who would be the one to care for them and serve as their mom and dad. An aunt supported them in school but would later stop due to financial constraints as well.
Faced with the prospect of not being able to complete her studies, Cherry Mae found a way to solve the situation by applying for scholarships so she could enroll in college.
A smart young lady, Cherry Mae would receive Aboitiz scholarship which covered her tuition fees and miscellaneous fees as she studied Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of San Jose Recoletos in Cebu City.
While the scholarship also covered her books, she had to find other ways to pay for her boarding house as well as to buy food, school supplies, and other needs. She applied as service crew at McDonald’s and would later request for an evening shift so she could go to school during the day.
Photo credit: Cherry Mae Toledo / Facebook
“Uniforms signify the different roles we play in our community. Sometimes, we wear our school uniforms, occasionally, our intern attires, and in the future, our professional suits. Apparently, in this post I am wearing my service crew uniform. This is the role I want to show. It’s what I am proud of. This brought more meaning to what I am now and what I have achieved,” Cherry Mae shared on her Facebook account.
She also shared some of the many challenges she faced as a student who had to juggle school work and course requirements with her job.
At 7AM, Cherry Mae was already in school. By 4PM, her classes end but she still has a little time left for extra-curricular activities before she prepares for her 6PM shift at McDonald’s. On her fourth year, she also had to juggle time for her internship in the afternoon.
The shift ends at 12 midnight, sometimes at 1AM. This leaves Cherry Mae with very little time left to sleep and study as she had to wake up early the following day.
Yet even with the many hardships she faced as a student, she still managed to graduate Magna Cum Laude! Her impressive feat inspired a lot of netizens who wished that other students would also find inspiration in her determination to complete her studies despite the difficult situation she was in…
I’m the one inspired to the person despites to any challenges, especially for the financial struggled .
God bless you u to continue inspired others ❣️. Because I’m also a self supporting student to pursue my study in college. I hope that I become a successful soon.