.For Degrace Elizabeth St. Dic, the Alray Scholars Program is a “lifesaver.” They were available to answer her questions about loans, finances, and other obstacles, a new experience for the shy St. Dic. When she graduated from high school, “there was no talk, really, of finances or anything,” she said. As a student at Roxbury Community College, she felt stuck in a degree that seemed to shuffle her around. “[RCC] just kept bopping me [around],” St. Dic explained. Eventually, she got her associate’s degree through North Shore Community College in 2012 and started at Lesley University.
Still, Lesley proved frustrating as she inched toward her bachelor’s degree. She had to start and stop often, saving up during out-of-school semesters. “I didn’t know where to go, what to do, who to talk to,” she said about finding answers and guidance about her financial situation.
Then, in 2018, 11 years after graduating from high school, with most of that time spent working toward a degree, St. Dic heard about Alray Scholars from a friend. She started at the University of Massachusetts Boston that year. Through the Program and her mentor, she gained advisors, advocates, and counselors. Now armed with people to help, St. Dic’s entered UMass with answers and support. “With Alray, I didn’t have to worry about finding advice myself,” she started. “It helps me with focusing on my classes”
Now, St. Dic wants to try new things. She wants to try culinary courses at a community college. And, after about 18 years as a CNA, she wants to enter a management role. She’d be able to make her own schedule, know exactly what needs to be done, when to go in, and, more importantly, when to clock out. “I don’t like to say no to my bosses,” the hard-working, diligent, and generous St. Dic said about working, not infrequently, beyond her regular hours.
The education the Alray Scholars Program helped facilitate for St. Dic did more than expand her resume. It taught her how to seek out the guidance she requires. She learned to advocate for herself. St. Dic hopes the same is true for future Alray Scholars. “Never stop asking,” she said. “Ask until you get the answer you’re looking for.”
