When I filled out my first FAFSA, I did it with my mother , googling terms I didn't understand and transalting it to her, hoping I wasn't accidentally giving up something I shouldn't. Neither of us knew what we were doing. That's the reality of being a first generation college student. There's no roadmap. There's no one in your house who's been through it. You figure it out as you go, and you hope you don't mess up the part that costs you everything. I'm Christian Pacheco, a junior at Bentley University majoring in Finance Technology, on track to graduate in 2028. I'm also a student athelte on the football team, and a first-generation college student. Football is what made Bentley possible for me without it, a school like this felt out of reach. But once I got here, I realized that being first gen doesn't end at acceptance. It shows up in every advising meeting, every internship application, every conversation with classmates whose parents already know what an MBA is or what a Roth IRA does. You're learning the academic material and the unwritten rules at the same time, and nobody warns you about the second one. The way I plan to inspire other first-gen students is the same way I've tried to lead on the football field: by showing up, doing the work in front of everyone, and making sure no one behind me has to walk it alone. I want to be visible. So many first gen students give up on higher education before they even apply because they've never seen someone from their background actually do it. I want to be the proof that it's possible. That means being open about my journey the FAFSA confusion, the imposter syndrome of sitting in classes where everyone seems to already know the language, the pride of figuring it out anyway. The more honestly I tell that story, the more permission I give someone else to start their own. Concretely, I plan to mentor. On campus, I want to get more involved with first-gen student organizations and connect with younger students who are facing the same questions I did two years ago. After Bentley, I plan to pursue an MBA at the McCollum Graduate School of Business and build a career in fintech, and I want to use that platform to keep the door open. That could mean returning to my old school to talk to kids about what college actually looks like for someone like us. It could mean creating financial literacy resources designed for first gen families who've never been taught how money works. It could mean hiring and developing first gen talent at whatever company I help build. The form will change. The mission won't. Being first generation isn't a setback, it's a perspective. We learn how to navigate systems that weren't built for us, and that's a skill the world needs more of. I want every first gen student behind me to know that they belong in those rooms, that the confusion is normal, and that figuring it out is exactly the point. This scholarship would help me keep doing that work, one classmate, one cousin, one kid at a time.

My mother has worked harder than anyone I know, and for most of my life, I've watched her carry weight that should have been split among a dozen people. She did it without complaint, without recognition, and without ever letting me see how heavy it really was. Everything I'm building every class I take at Bentley, every early morning on the football field, every line of code I write is, in some way, an answer to her. The legacy I want to create starts with her and ripples outward from there. I'm a junior at Bentley University majoring in Finance Technology, on track to graduate in 2028 before pursuing my MBA at the McCollums Graduate School of Business. As a first generation college student and a two-time football captain in highschool, I've spent my whole life learning that the only way out is through. Football gave me the platform to even be at Bentley. Being captain taught me that the people who build the best legacies aren't the ones with the loudest voices they're the ones who make sure the people behind them have a path forward too. That's the kind of legacy I want. Not a name on a building, but a community of people who made it because someone like me decided to hold the door open. The business I want to create one day lives at the intersection of finance and technology, and it's built around one idea: financial access for the people the system was never designed for. I want to build a fintech firm that serves first generation investors, working class families, and communities like the one I grew up in. The kind of place where a kid sitting alone at their laptop trying to figure out a Roth IRA like I was, not that long ago can find tools that actually speak their language. No predatory fees. No gatekeeping. No assumption that you should already know how money works before you're allowed to participate. I want to build the company I needed when I was younger, and I want it to scale far enough that no one in my family, or anyone else's, has to learn this stuff alone. I shine my light by showing up. Quietly, consistently, and for other people. On the football field, that looks like staying late to help a younger teammate work through a play he's struggling with. In the classroom, it looks like sharing my notes, walking a classmate through a SQL query/Pyhton, or pushing through a problem set even when I'm exhausted because I know my discipline sets a tone. In my family, it looks like being the first to graduate, the first to figure out the financial aid forms, the first to translate the system for everyone who comes after me. I don't always say much. But I try to make sure that every room I'm in is a little better off because I was in it. That's the legacy I'm building toward. A career, a business, and a life that lifts the people behind me starting with my mother, extending to my family, and reaching toward every kid who was told the door was closed. This scholarship would help me keep walking through it, and eventually, hold it open for someone else.

The first time I wrote a SQL query that actually worked, I sat back in my chair and just stared at the screen. I had asked a database a question, and it answered. That moment, in my CS150 class at Bentley, flipped a switch in me. I realized the technical side of my Finance Technology degree wasn't a requirement to get through. It was the part I actually loved. I'm a junior at Bentley University, on track to graduate in 2028. My major sits at the exact intersection of computer science and finance, and the deeper I get into it, the more I lean toward the CS side. SQL, Tableau, data systems, financial modeling, and even experimenting with tools like Claude Code on my own time, these aren't assignments to me anymore. They're how I think. As a first-generation college student and a two-time football captain, I've had to build discipline from scratch in every area of my life. Coding is the first thing I've found that rewards that discipline instantly: the logic either works or it doesn't, and the only way forward is to keep iterating until it does. My dream job lives at the crossroads of fintech and engineering. I want to be a developer or quantitative engineer at a fintech firm, someone who builds the actual tools that decide how millions of people invest, save, and access credit. The financial system was built for people who already had access to advisors, capital, and information. For families like mine. I want to write the code that opens those doors. Whether that's building algorithms that automate smart investing for first time investors, designing platforms that translate financial complexity into plain language, or engineering data systems that let smaller institutions compete with big banks, I want my technical work to close the wealth gap, not widen it. Eventually, I plan to pursue an MBA at the McCollum Graduate School of Business so I can lead the teams that build these products, not just contribute to them. I'm the best candidate for this scholarship because I don't take a single opportunity for granted. Football gave me a path to Bentley that I never thought was possible. Being first-gen taught me that nothing comes free. I bring all of that to every line of code I write and every problem I try to solve. This scholarship wouldn't just fund my education, it would fund the work I plan to do for everyone who comes after me.

The first time I opened a Roth IRA, I had no idea what I was doing. I sat alone at my laptop, googling the difference between an index fund and an ETF — because in my family, no one had ever had the luxury of asking those questions. I'm a first-generation college student. The financial knowledge most of my classmates inherited from their parents, I had to teach myself. That moment, figuring out, on my own, where to put a few hundred dollars, is exactly why I'm passionate about Finance Technology. The gap between people who grow up knowing how money works and people who don't isn't really a knowledge gap. It's a wealth gap. And it compounds, year after year, generation after generation. I will be a junior at Bentley University, majoring in Finance Technology, on track to graduate in 2028 before pursuing my MBA at the McCollum Graduate School of Business. Football is what made Bentley possible for me. Being named team captain twice in high school taught me that real leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room; it's about pulling people up alongside you. That's the same instinct I bring to my interest in fintech. The current financial system was built for people who already had access to advisors, to capital, to information. For everyone else, it's a maze of fees, jargon, and locked doors. Communities like the one I grew up in feel that the most: predatory lenders fill the void where bank branches don't exist, payday loans replace credit lines, and a lack of basic financial education means families work twice as hard for half the security. Fintech has the power to flip that script. Apps that fractionalize investing, automate saving, and translate complex products into plain English have already pulled millions of people into the financial system for the first time. But there's still so much further to go. I want to be part of building the next wave. That could mean designing tools that meet first generation investors where they are, without the gatekeeping. It could mean working on financial literacy platforms that speak to people in their own language and on their own phones. It could mean shaping product decisions from inside a fintech firm that takes equity of access seriously. Whatever the specific path, I want to use what I'm learning at Bentley, capital budgeting, data systems, SQL, and financial modeling to build products that close the gap instead of widening it. I bring more than ambition to this work. I bring discipline forged on a football field, a work ethic shaped by being the first in my family to walk this road, and a lived understanding of what it feels like to be on the outside of a system that's supposed to help you. That perspective isn't a weakness in finance; it's an edge. The people building tomorrow's financial tools should include the people those tools are meant to serve. This scholarship would let me focus fully on becoming that kind of builder. I'm ready to do the work.

11 Barnard Hawkes Court Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945 March 15, 2025 Curtis Holloway Memorial Scholarship Committee, I am Christian Pacheco, A first year at Bentley University. I am a student athelte who is majoring in Marketing. I was introduced to Bold by one of my good mentors which lead me to discover this scholarship. The most important person who has supported me in my educational journey is my mother. As an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, she came to this country seeking a better future for herself and her children. My father was never around, so she had to take on the role of both parents, working multiple jobs at once to provide for me and my two siblings. Despite the exhaustion and struggles she faced, she never let us feel the weight of her sacrifices. She pushed me to take school seriously, to work hard, and to believe that success was possible no matter where I started. Her support has shaped me in countless ways. Watching her resilience has taught me the value of perseverance, discipline, and gratitude. There were times when she came home late at night after long shifts, barely able to keep her eyes open, yet she would still check in on us, making sure we were okay. Seeing her strength made me determined to succeed—not just for myself, but for her. She worked tirelessly so that I could have opportunities she never had, and that has been my greatest motivation. As I pursue my education and football career at Bentley University, I honor my mother by striving to be the best version of myself. I push myself academically, maintaining honor roll status and taking challenging courses. I lead by example on the football field, becoming the first two-time captain in Marblehead High School history. I support those around me, just as she has always supported me. Her sacrifices will never be in vain, and I will continue to work hard so that one day, I can give back to her and my siblings. Building on her support, I plan to use my education and career to create opportunities for others. Whether it’s through mentorship, leadership, or financial success, I want to help people who come from backgrounds like mine—those who might doubt themselves because of their circumstances. I know what it’s like to feel the weight of struggle, but I also know what it means to rise above it. Growing up in a single-parent household has made my mother’s support even more instrumental. She was my foundation, my role model, and my biggest advocate. Without her sacrifices, I wouldn’t be where I am today. She showed me that no matter how difficult life gets, perseverance and love can push us forward. That lesson will stay with me forever as I chase my dreams, determined to make her proud. With your scholarship's assistance, I will be able to further my education and continue working towards my dreams. I appreciate your time and consideration, and I am grateful for this opportunity. Best, Christian Pacheco

Jose Prado Memorial Scholarship Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945 Dear Jose Prado Memorial Scholarship Foundation Committee: My name is Christian Pacheco, I am a freshman at Bentley University and will be graduating in May of 2028. I have committed to Bentley University to play football and major in Marketing. Football has been something very important to me and my family, it has given me an opportunity to attend college. My mom and dad both immigrated from the Dominican Republic to find a better life. They have worked extremely hard and consistently to provide food and clothing for my siblings and I. Because of their hardship, I'm grateful to be a first generation, and hopefully through my hard work and dedication, i will be able to give back to them. Throughout elementary and middle school, I was in ELL, Literacy Lab and curriculum support. Being in these classes lowered my confidence in my academic abilities. I felt like I wasn't able to keep up with my class and having “extra help" made me feel I wasn't capable of learning the curriculum on my own. Testing out of my IEP and other special education classes gave me confidence in my academic abilities. I would have never thought of taking Honors and AP classes in high school. As a result of this, my grades have improved along with my self esteem. Now as first year college student and soon to be second year. I have maintained to be an A and B student since freshman year of high school. Football is near and dear to my heart, and as I said, it has allowed me to go to college. Most importantly, playing football has made me the person I am today. Having mental fortitude and the ability to lead is who I am. Becoming the first two-time Captain in Marblehead High School history doesn't mean as much to me, as taking care of t my friends, my family and the people who need it most. And thanks to my parents, seeing them work hard and tirelessly has grown on me. Their will to work Mutiple jobs to provide for me and my siblings has made who I am. I've learned that things are earned through hard work and dedication and thanks to them it had landed me in one of the best business schools in the northeast. Hopefully with your scholarship, I will be able to further my education, and my dreams. Thank you for reading my letter, and thank you for this wonderful opportunity. Sincerely, Christian Pacheco