Rite of Passage: A First-Gen Perspective
For Jess Silva (CAS’19), a scholarship makes a dream come true
Jessica Silva (CAS’19) in her bedroom at home in Farmingdale, N.Y. With just a month left before starting college, she talks about her life and what she foresees for her future.
BU recently welcomed 3,625 freshmen, each with a unique journey to campus. Photojournalist Jackie Ricciardi wanted to capture them as they prepared to launch this new chapter. So over the summer, she traveled from Minnesota to New York to Boston’s suburbs to photograph several members of the Class of 2019. They welcomed her into their homes and shared their dreams, fears, and the ways their families have shaped their lives. Parents spoke candidly about their anxieties and aspirations for their children. In our series “Rite of Passage,” BU Today brings you four students’ stories.
Jessica Silva is used to dreaming big. Growing up in Farmingdale, N.Y., on Long Island, Silva was determined to become the first in her family to go to college. Her mother grew up in Malta and finished high school, and her father, who is from Colombia, left school after junior high.
With her mother, she visited BU as a high school sophomore and fell in love with the campus. “My mind was swirling with the idea of going to BU,” she says. She was crushed when she found out the cost of tuition, knowing there was no way her mother—a single parent of three—could swing it. Praying for a miracle, Silva went ahead and applied anyway.
She’s glad now she persevered. In April, Silva (CAS’19) was notified that she had not only been accepted to BU, but had been awarded two scholarships, which would enable her to attend. “I still can’t believe how lucky I am,” says the Kilachand Honors College student, who plans to major in biology. “Here I am. Astounded, proud, and absolutely blessed.”
A tearful Teresina Bajada talks about her daughter. “You never think you’re going to get so emotional until it’s time to think about her leaving,” she says. The two have a special bond, and Jess credits her mother—who’s raised three children alone—for the person she is today. Jess says her mother “placed a strong value on working hard and if you work hard enough, you will achieve anything.”
On Being a Single Mom
“ I’m Just So Happy that financially they made it possible for her…I didn’t want money to be the reason why she can’t live her dream.”
Teresina Bajada(Jessica’s Mother)
Audio — 38 Seconds
Jess says that going to BU seemed like a distant dream because her family couldn’t afford the tuition. But after receiving scholarships, her mother says, they feel like they’ve won the lottery. “The gift is that Jess is able to be where she wants to be and that’s priceless.”
Looking through her high school yearbook, Jess says her friends challenged and motivated her academically. “They once rewrote Macbeth and staged it in her backyard. “I love to nerd out with them,” she says. “I’m connected with them through the passion and love of learning. Now I’m going to an awesome school and with them behind me, I’ve become the best person I could ever be.”
On Going to BU
“ It was the best outcome we could have hoped for.”
Jessica Silva
Audio — 28 Seconds
Jess says she and her sister, Sarah, 15, “are really close. She looks up to me a lot, and I try to be the best role model I can. She’s my best friend, and we tell each other everything. I want her to achieve her full potential in everything she does.”
On Her Fears
“ I’m afraid of how it will affect me, and how it will affect my grades…this is where it really counts.”
Jessica Silva
Audio — 46 Seconds
The Silva family during one of Jess’ last dinners at home. “I’m sure I am going to feel sad and horribly lonely and miss my family and the craziness that they bring. I’ve been living with them for 18 years,” she says. “I just want to get my first taste of independence. But then I’m sure I’ll be back, snuggling on the couch cause I’m missing them.”
Jess with her Chihuahua, Benji. “I’m definitely going to miss home,” she says. “But I feel like I’m ready to go.”
On Jess Leaving
“It’s bittersweet…I know it’s going to be okay, it’s just a little heartbreaking.”
Teresina Bajada(Jessica’s Mother)
Audio — 45 Seconds
An emotional good-bye outside Kilachand Hall. “It’s time to be independent,” Jess says. “It’s time to support myself, drive myself, and fall back on myself.”
This Series
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Rite of Passage
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November 17, 2016
Rite of Passage 2016: Accepting Limitations
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November 11, 2016
Rite of Passage 2016: A Desire to Help Others
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October 31, 2016
Rite of Passage 2016: Transforming Loss into Passion
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