Dayana, a resident at one of True Ground’s communities, wants to pursue multiple engineering degrees. Her interest in civil and structural engineering, as well as sustainability, began when she was in ninth grade researching the effect of weather patterns on pre-western structures in Asia. After completing a program with Virginia Tech, she learned what the engineering educational path includes. Initially, she thought she needed to pivot to a different degree due to grad school costs, but after speaking with influential people in her network, she learned that there are resources that can help.
As a high school senior, she’s got a full plate. Dayana juggles advanced placement classes, college and scholarship applications, extracurriculars, and family responsibilities like taking care of her younger brother. Despite the busy schedule, civic engagement is important to Dayana. She volunteers at a local library and works as a math tutor twice a week. While volunteering was a school requirement, once she started, she enjoyed giving back and wanted to do even more. She also appreciates meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds while learning about their stories, viewpoints, and lived experiences.
At the beginning of 2024, Dayana learned about a True Ground scholarship opportunity for residents through Genesis, an onsite Resident Services Coordinator. Dayana submitted an entry to the annual MLK Jr. essay contest and won first place in her age group. Through the scholarship, she learned about additional volunteer opportunities at True Ground. Now she volunteers regularly at the People’s Pantry, which connects residents with supplemental groceries, and Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) distributions. While volunteering, she networked and learned of a civil engineering internship opportunity. She applied and was able to secure her first internship during the summer before her senior year. Post-internship, she is teaching herself computer-aided design (CAD), a software-based process that engineers use to create models. Dayana interpreted the scholarship from True Ground as a reason to believe in her potential and shares the experience opened doors for her that she didn’t think were possible.
Giving back is important to Dayana and one day she hopes to create her own scholarship opportunity to support other students. Dayana encourages others to volunteer at True Ground and in their community. She says, “you share joy with others when you give back and small gestures can go a long way.”
True Ground Housing Partners is dedicated to providing stable, affordable housing and grounding individuals and families in thriving, supportive communities. For those interested in volunteering at True Ground, email our Volunteer and Program manager, Liza Feiler:
