FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
SNATCHING SUCCESS
FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT
The
Story of One in Morgan's Class of 2002 - Cum Laude Grad Candis Silva
May 19th - a day
that many Morgan State University students have been hoping would come
for sometime. It is graduation day for nearly 900 members of Morgan's
Class of 2002. But for Candis M. Silva, it represents not only a day
of extreme pride, but also a day that in many ways for her, is the ultimate
satisfaction.
"I graduated
in the top 10 percent of my class at Woodlawn High School," said
Ms. Silva. "Still, I had trouble getting into Morgan, the college
of my choice. It was a rude awakening for me."
Candis achieved
a low score on her SAT, even after taking it three times. In fact, her
SAT score was below the minimum requirements for applicants entering
Morgan. It created problems that were nearly impossible to overcome
when she applied for admittance to the University, despite having maintained
a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) throughout high school. There were,
however, those who believed in Candis and, after several appeals, she
was finally given conditional acceptance to Morgan and was urged to
attend the school's pre-college program.
That was all it
took for Candis. She went on to prove herself at MSU, not only excelling
in her classes, but after achieving a 3.6 GPA her freshman year, she
was accepted into Morgan's Honors Program. It meant, among other things,
that she qualified for a scholarship, which enabled her to concentrate
even further on her studies without being encumbered by education loans
and outside employment.
Said Candis, "I
took it as a blessing and that kept me going. I always knew that I was
capable of doing very well in college but I had to prove it to those
who were willing to take a chance on me. I feel that I am a prime example
of someone who perhaps wasn't given the opportunity that I felt I deserved,
and so today, I am a very proud woman knowing that I succeeded against
the odds."
Indeed! Candis,
a marketing major, is today a cum laude graduate of Morgan State University's
Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management - a program that she
says has prepared her well for future success. "That's very important
to me because I have high expectations for myself…I always have."
Ms. Silva plans to pursue a career in pharmaceutical sales.
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