STRONG – What to do after graduating high school is something that every graduating senior probably thinks about, but Mt. Abram High School senior Emily Marden has been preparing since becoming a College Prep Scholar her junior year.
Marden’s hard work in the QuestBridge program secured her a spot in the National College Match program where she was matched with her first choice of schools: Colby College. On top of this amazing achievement, her hard work has earned her a full four-year scholarship.
“I’m really excited. A lot of stress is now gone with a full four-year scholarship; the financial stress has gone away so I’m able to focus on what I want to do without worrying about that, which I think is really big and exciting that I’ll be able to focus on my studies,” Marden said. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teachers helping me.”
Marden stated that she had to pinch herself when she received the news of the scholarship because she was in disbelief.
Marden has an interest in studying world languages. She’s taken high school French for four years and is currently studying Spanish. She is still considering what she’d like to do with the degree she will be earning, but believes that Colby is the perfect place for her to fulfill this dream.
“I might want to be a diplomat or a translator, or I might be a foreign language teacher for little kids, which I think would be really fun,” Marden said. “I haven’t one hundred percent decided, but definitely something with foreign language.”
Marden is also interested in traveling and the study-abroad programs available to her through Colby.
According to Marden, there was a lot of work involved with getting into this program and the competition is fierce, but she lends a lot of credit to her support network. She didn’t believe she’d be successful and tried to plan for what she would do if she wasn’t, but advises anyone struggling with this process not to give up hope.
“My advice would be to…not think things are impossible,” Marden said. “Finding motivation from peers, teachers, family and stuff like that is really important, too. Whatever motivates you, just keep going.”
