By Cristina Serna, Coordinator of the Scholarship Program
María de la Luz lives in El Tigre, a rural community composed of 135 inhabitants located in the valley of Jalpa, about 16 km away from La Biblioteca. De la Luz is passionate about nature and plants, and she decided to study agronomy in the technological institute El Roque, located in Celaya. When she is not studying, de la Luz administers her own business of arts and crafts. We visited her during the festival Comunitario del Mezquite, where she sells her products. She shares with us her story, her life as a student, and her plans for the future.
Can you present yourself?
My name is María de la Luz Mejía. I received a scholarship from La Biblioteca. I am the youngest of 11 siblings, and I am the first one in my family to study. I chose agronomy because I relate to the countryside where I grew up. This is the way I believe I can impact my community later. In the future I think that agronomy is an important matter.
How do you feel about being the first one in your family to study at the university?
It feels good to be a role model to my nephews, to show them it is possible to study more. They didn’t have plans to study, but when they saw I studied at high school and university, they understood they could do the same too.
Are there many young people who keep studying in your village?
In the community where I live, I think I am the one who has studied most. Some people I know migrated to the United States and they study there, but they don’t study here. To drop out of school is very common in my community.
What motivates you?
I want to study because otherwise, salaries are very low. Also, I felt in love with agriculture because I got a job at Vía Orgánica when I was in high school, and there they practice organic agriculture.
What are the main challenges of studying and working at the same time?
It is really a big challenge. I would recommend to only study, but in my case the only way to get to university was by making money. I began selling second-hand clothes, and then I started with framed botanical art. I have to be very organized.
My business is called “Inspiración Botánica.” The idea came up during the pandemic. I would walk a lot in the countryside, gathering plants and flowers, and I began making artwork with it. I needed to make money and I love botany.
Is it usual to find women in your field of study?
Agriculture has always been ruled by men—there are very few women. But a woman who was my boss at Via Orgánica really inspired me. She is an agronomist and I learned a lot from her. To be able to work with men you need to know a lot, because they are always going to question your knowledge. It is the same with the other students at school. At the begining my voice was not heard, but when my colleagues saw I had experience they began to take my opinions more seriously. But it is not easy.
What would you say to other students about the scholarship program of La Biblioteca Pública de San Miguel de Allende, AC?
I think it is readily accessible. It is very important to keep a good GPA. I think it is a good amount of money that they give. Receiving this money allows me to reinvest in my business and to cover part of the school fees.
How did the scholarship help you with your entrepreneurship?
The scholarship means security. Moreover, at school I have several minors in business administration, and I had to develop one project for that class. This is when I truly began with my own business.
You can view the portrait in video of this amazing young student/entrepreneur as well as other students on the web page of La Biblioteca in the dedicated section “Scholarships to Students.” www.labibliotecapublica.org.
Just like de la Luz, 100 students from high schools and universities receive the biblioteca’s scholarships. Each one of these 100 students has an ambitious project for the future, and it is wonderful to see them grow into success. You can take part in this program and gift a full-year scholarship. It is simple and surprisingly affordable. With only US$240 you can sponsor a high school student for one year. A full university scholarship is US$480. For the holiday season you can choose to honor a friend or a family member and gift a scholarship in their name. It feels so good to make our community grow!
