Erica, W’19
- Major Finance, Operations, Information and Decisions
- Hometown Tampa, FL
Erica did not grow up with dreams of attending Penn. But when she was selected for the four-week LEAD business intensive summer program at Wharton for low-income students during the summer before her senior year in high school, it was then that, as she puts it, “I think as many people do—I fell in love with this place.”
Her transformative summer experience inspired her to broaden her horizons and apply Early Decision. “I wanted to come to Penn because of the challenge it presented, it was a world so far outside of my comfort zone. I am a native student from a small city in Florida, and for the first time in my life, the unknown wasn’t scary but exciting.”
“I owe the entirety of my experience—every meal, coffee, laugh, late-night memory, stressful exam—to the generosity of all of you. The honor and respect my people have for the ones that came before us—it is my honor and duty to make them proud. I hope that I am just a glimpse into the world you’ve helped us create and I hope we have made you proud.”
When Erica was accepted to Penn and received her financial aid package, she was astonished by the aid she was about to receive “The list of scholarship donor names on my financial aid package was overwhelming. I couldn’t really believe that people I had never met were willing to support me on this journey.” The scholarships I have received have meant everything to me and my family.
The Wharton senior has taken advantage of all that Penn has to offer during her time here. She has studied abroad in Ireland and Israel, received a thorough liberal arts education in addition to her business courses, formed campus families through her sorority and Natives at Penn, and honed her leadership skills in the Ivy Native Council.
As Erica prepares to graduate in May and take the first steps in her professional career she reflected upon her last four years and spoke of her future. “I owe the entirety of my experience—every meal, coffee, laugh, late-night memory, stressful exam—to the generosity of all of you. The honor and respect my people have for the ones that came before us—it is my honor and duty to make them proud. I hope that I am just a glimpse into the world you’ve helped us create and I hope we have made you proud.”