QUEZON City—Some young people may take their education for granted, but for others, like Marian Stefanie, there have been many sleepless nights when they wondered if they could even graduate.
“The experience of being a scholar changed me. If it wasn’t for ANCOP, I wouldn’t have been able to finish my schooling. The scholarship helped not just my studies but also my family,” shared Marian Stefanie, who officially graduated on Tuesday, September 16, with magna cum laude honors.
Beyond financial assistance
She added that getting accepted into CFC ANCOP’s Educational Sponsorship Program gave her opportunities to be more active in local parish activities and formation programs for young people.
The consistent President Lister throughout her college years explained further: “In essence, ANCOP didn’t just help me financially; it also helped me grow spiritually. It deepened my relationship with the Church and with God, and it helped me build connections with other people within the parish.”
The 22-year old recounted how her family struggled financially with only her father, a driver for a hardware store, as its sole breadwinner.
Marian would describe their life as “ordinary” but also difficult because of the various expenses that came with having three children in school.
‘All worth it’
In a social media post, she thanked important people in her life, including CFC ANCOP, which extended financial assistance as well as values formation for Marian since 2018, saying: “My younger self would be proud of the achievement I accomplished today. I still can’t believe I’ve come this far…I always told myself that it was okay not to receive an award or Latin honors as long as I finished college. Receiving this award is a monumental moment because all the hard work I put into studying has finally paid off.”
Noting the many sacrifices she had to make to finish her studies, Marian, who has been an ANCOP-sponsored student since 2018, said her journey was “never easy”, but “the pressure, stress, cramming, tears, and tiredness…were all worth it in the end.”
Looking to land a job connected to marketing, the second child, Marian, is happy that her elder brother is working as well, and their youngest is in grade 9.
