Nov. 22, 2024
Edirene Flores is on her way to the life she always imagined.
The 18-year-old is wrapping up her first semester at Grand Rapids Community College’s Lakeshore Campus in Holland and couldn’t be happier.
“My classes are interesting and my professors are really good,” said Flores, who lives in Holland. “I really appreciate the convenience of going to college like 15 minutes from my house rather than having to drive all the way to Grand Rapids.”
But Flores is most grateful to GRCC financial aid specialists who helped guide her through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process and, ultimately, qualify for grants and scholarships so she could afford college.
“Going to college was my dream and I knew I could be a good student and a worker in the future,” Flores said.
Born in Indiana, Flores lived most of her childhood in Mexico with her mother. She moved to Texas at the age of 15 and relocated the following year to live with extended family in Holland and complete high school.
Flores began working on the FAFSA form months before graduating from Holland High School. But the process was complicated by the fact that her mother lives in Mexico and doesn’t have a U.S. Social Security number.
“I spent three months calling FAFSA every single morning trying to get help,” Flores said. “I was just really sad because I left Mexico looking for a better life. But without completing my FAFSA and qualifying for loans or grants, I could never afford to go to college.”
Then Jaqueline Araiza came to the rescue.
Araiza, operations manager at GRCC’s Lakeshore Campus, is dedicated to supporting new students in navigating the enrollment and admission process, bringing her wealth of experience to assist individuals on their educational journey.
Araiza worked with Flores for weeks until her FAFSA was successfully submitted. Thanks to GRCC grants and scholarships, Flores was able to begin classes in August and is enrolled full-time.
Flores shares her FAFSA struggles not to complain, but in hopes of inspiring others — especially those whose first language isn’t English — to seek assistance from the college’s Financial Aid Office.
“I’m so grateful and want to thank GRCC and my family for supporting me,” Flores said. “Maybe if someone reads this they’ll see that good things can happen and they don’t have to give up their dreams.”
This story was reported by Beth McKenna.