It should have been the happiest time of Beatriz Martins鈥� young life 鈥� the first member of her family to attend college, studying biology at UMass Boston. Instead, she was in constant tears and just wanted to be alone. Overwhelmed by emotional struggles and worried about the financial strain she was putting on her single mom, Martins鈥� grades suffered, and she was put on academic probation.
鈥淐ollege isn鈥檛 for me. I鈥檓 not even going to try anymore,鈥� the Somerville, Massachusetts, native remembers thinking to herself.
But her mom, Martha, who never advanced beyond a fourth-grade education in her native Brazil, implored her daughter to keep going. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e a fighter,鈥� she told Martins, who found a therapist and received support from her church pastor.
Soon, she was back in school at Quincy College, a community college where she reassessed her interest in science. Seeing that Martins had worked in retail and as a clerk鈥檚 assistant at Somerville City Hall, her advisor asked if she鈥檇 ever considered studying business.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a major? I didn鈥檛 even know,鈥� said Martins, who ended up loving her business classes so much (鈥淚 felt like I found my calling鈥�) that she graduated as class valedictorian.
鈥淢y mom was sitting in front of me as I gave my speech, and her smile was brighter than the sun,鈥� recalls Martins, a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for community college students.
Ready to resume her pursuit of a bachelor鈥檚 degree, Martins chose 51视频 over Suffolk University and Emmanuel College.
鈥淲hen I visited here, I just fell in love with it. I knew this was my place,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was a really good community, and everyone was so welcoming.鈥�
She joined the Honors College and began participating in leadership sessions provided by international business honors society Beta Gamma Sigma. As a commuter student (she lives with a cousin in Lowell), Martins also coordinated lunch meetings for fellow commuters with Manning School of Business Dean Sandra Richtermeyer and faculty members.
鈥淚 love helping my community,鈥� says Martins, who was recognized by the university for her efforts with a Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award 鈥� an honor that left her 鈥渟peechless.鈥�
鈥淚 have had difficulties sometimes being a student of color, feeling like people are treating me a certain way because of that,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 helpful having inspirational people like MLK, Rosa Parks and the Obamas. Even though we鈥檝e had some struggles, we can overcome them and achieve great things.鈥�
Martins, who plans to continue for her MBA at UML through the Bachelor鈥檚-to-Master鈥檚 Program, isn鈥檛 yet sure what she鈥檒l do with her degrees, although she can imagine owning her own business someday.
More than anything, Martins says being a Double River Hawk will show that 鈥淚鈥檓 able to excel and achieve my goals when I鈥檓 determined and committed.鈥�
While her college path hasn鈥檛 been easy, Martins knows now that it鈥檚 given her the perspective and coping skills she鈥檒l need to overcome obstacles in the future.
鈥淢y experience has been a roller coaster, with so many ups and downs and twists. But you can鈥檛 be afraid of it,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And if you don鈥檛 like lemonade, make lemon pie.鈥�