September 29, 2021
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) congratulates Samantha Escobar, psychology major, for earning a $5,000 Belle Zeller Scholarship.
Established in 1979 by the Professional Staff Congress (PSC) CUNY, the scholarship honors the unique qualities of PSC founding president Belle Zeller, Professor Emerita of Political Science at Brooklyn College (CUNY), where she taught for over 40 years.
Award-winning author and entrepreneur Sharon Purtill once said, “Life will always throw you curve balls. It’s your job to swing the bat.” And for Samantha, that saying holds true to her journey in life and education.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Kissimmee, Florida, just south of Orlando, Samantha was living the life of a regular teenager preparing to graduate high school. She had already been accepted to Stetson University, a private college located in DeLand, Fla., and she was ready to triumph in college and earn her undergraduate degree.
“After I graduated from Gateway High School I went straight to Stetson University,” said Samantha, who identifies as Afro-Latina (Puerto Rican and African American). “I loved it, but I was not prepared for the financial and social aspects of college. It was a prominently white school, and I struggled financially.
“Socially, I was fine,” Samantha continued. “I had friends and some of the professors were supportive, but some of them didn’t understand where I was coming from culturally and personally.”
After one year, Samantha had to drop out of Stetson, because of financial reasons and she needed to figure out a plan.
During her time away from college, Samantha worked for a year in Florida with her family’s non-profit organization Kyrios Rapha Mission, Inc., located in Orlando, which helps disenfranchised and homeless people. The non-profit collects donations from corporations and offers supplies, food and job training to the needy and less fortunate.
“I really enjoyed working with and helping people,” she said. “I decided psychology would be the best for me and I knew I would eventually need to get my degree somehow.”
In 2010, Samantha decided to move back to New York (Washington Heights) to be closer to her mother, Brenda. During that time, Samantha’s mom was pursuing her second master’s degree from Hunter College.
“My mother was valedictorian of her high school,” Samantha said. “She also advocated for education and the importance of learning.”
Brenda passed away in 2014, from a sudden stroke, just one a week before she was going to complete her second master’s program. Samantha was presented with her mother’s master’s degree in the winter of 2014, it was a moment that had a profound impact on Samantha.
“It always stuck with me that I needed to complete school,” Samantha said. “After my mother passed away, I knew I had to do it no matter what. I wanted her to be proud of me and I wanted her to see that I could also get a college degree.”
When she was considering returning to college, Samantha explored many options in New York City. She said BMCC was the most appealing.
“I thought BMCC was the best option for me,” she said. “I wish BMCC was a four-year school, because my experience has been wonderful. When I went to my orientation. I got really lucky and met many great staff members and professors.”
“Specifically, Laurie Lomask, [Professor in Modern Languages] and Elizabeth Berlinger Daniels, [Lecturer in English], have been very supportive and they don’t teach in my major,” Samantha laughs. “I really appreciate their support and patience.”
Samantha will be finishing her last semester at BMCC in December 2021, and she is planning to attend City College. Samantha says her life and the events that occurred are no different for many other students, but she says it was critical for her to remain optimistic and to seek out assistance in order to successfully navigate through her college experience.
“If you think about having a growth mind-set, you have to accept that there are resources to help you (students),” says Samantha, who works part-time as a server and bartender at Tacombi, Mexican restaurant. “I am enamored by BMCC and the CUNY system. Getting a scholarship was a lot easier for me here than it was for me at Stetson University. I am very grateful for the help I got from BMCC’s Advocacy and Resource Center when the pandemic first hit.
“The help I got provided me with reassurance that I was going to complete my degree,” she said. “Everyone should go to BMCC!”
