Brahim Almarales

Going to school while helping support his mother and care for his grandmother, Brahim Almarales faced financial challenges throughout his academic career. Although he received a Bright Futures scholarship, it covered just a small part of his tuition; he paid most of his costs out of pocket.

He worked night jobs and, during the day, worked as a substitute teacher to make ends meet. He credits the support of his family and his girlfriend Gretel to helping him endure. A strong desire to leave a legacy and better opportunities for his future family and to better the world through his work also helped him to persevere.

Despite his difficulties, Brahim maintained a grade point average consistently over 3.5, was active in three honor societies on campus and regularly helped other students with their research and still others to bridge the sometimes challenging process of transferring from Miami Dade College to FIU. Because of his efforts to connect his FIU professors with those at MDC, the Department of History at FIU is planning a field trip for MDC students to visit.

With a strong commitment to and experience in teaching, Brahim plans to teach high school after graduation. He is also applying to graduate schools to continue his studies. He hopes to one day fulfill his dream to be a college professor.

By Amy Ellis