CFCC PECHS student earns full ride to Wellesley College
This May, Lubeyda Lopez is achieving a significant milestone by graduating with her high school diploma from Pender Early College High School (PECHS) and earning an Associate in Science degree from Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) while maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA.
Not only is Lubeyda the first in her family to attend college, but her achievements have earned her a full-ride scholarship to Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she will continue her academic journey this fall, majoring in mathematics and minoring in astronomy.
Choosing PECHS
Lubeyda’s decision to attend PECHS was driven by her desire for personalized support and the opportunity to earn her associate degree simultaneously. She recalls,
“I chose Pender Early for two reasons. I like that it was a smaller environment, and because it’s partnered with CFCC, so I’m getting my associate degree for free.”
Embracing academic opportunities at CFCC
Transitioning seamlessly from high school to college, Lubeyda thrived in CFCC’s environment. Because she finished her high school math requirements her freshman year, Lubeyda delved into her passion for mathematics at CFCC, pursuing advanced courses at the college level.
Reflecting on her experience, Lubeyda mentions her favorite math instructor, Emily Stein, whose teaching style resonated with her.
“Math can be difficult, but the way she explained it, she made it make so much sense. I can’t even explain how she did it. I feel like it takes me a long time to comprehend what I’m learning about, but she made it so easy to understand.”
Pursuing dreams of working at NASA
Lubeyda’s childhood dream of becoming an astronaut evolved into a passion for mathematics and astronomy.
“I remember watching YouTube videos about random, fun math concepts and googling cool space facts. I was also a big Lego fan, building and designing. I still am. I wanted a career that would combine all of my interests. My ultimate dream is to work as an aerospace engineer at NASA.”
Taking advantage of opportunities
Lubeyda immersed herself in academic and extracurricular activities, including attending cultural summer camps that provided invaluable guidance through the college application process.
“The camps helped Hispanic and Latino students through the college process, such as showing us how to fill out the FAFSA and ask for help. They told us about many other programs we could do in the future.”
One of the programs was QuestBridge, which connects the brightest students from low-income backgrounds nationwide with prestigious higher education institutions.
Receiving the QuestBridge Scholarship
Through QuestBridge, Lubeyda spoke with academic advisors and representatives from several of the nation’s most selective colleges and ranked her top choices to be “matched” with. Lubeyda will never forget the emotional day she “matched” with her first choice.
“I remember clicking on the link and seeing confetti and the word congratulations. My mom does not read in English, but she saw me crying and asked, ‘Is this a good thing?’ I translated it to her, and then we were both crying. My dad got home from work, and once I told him, we were all crying. My parents always wanted better for me.”
Looking Ahead
As Lubeyda prepares to graduate and begin the next chapter of her life at Wellesley College, her gratitude for PECHS and CFCC is evident.
“Cape Fear Community College definitely prepared me for my next step. I’m much more responsible after taking classes at CFCC.”
Lubeyda’s achievements reflect the power of hard work and the importance of supportive environments like PECHS and CFCC. Not only has Lubeyda achieved academic success, but she also laid the foundation of higher education for future generations in her family.
