Dell Scholar Appreciates the Value of Education
Graduating from Brown University in 2009 with a degree in economics, Mandeep Gill is prepared to spend the next three years launching a finance career in asset management at JPMorgan Chase in New York. She was offered the position after interning with the company over the summer. The Dell Scholar truly appreciates her college education and realizes its necessity in helping her to achieve her career aspirations.
Early Hurdles
Born in Hanford, California, Mandeep is a first-generation American. Her parents immigrated to America from a village in northern India and spoke only Punjabi at home. Until she entered kindergarten, Punjabi was Mandeep’s primary language. Once in school, she quickly developed and transitioned to using English literacy skills. When Mandeep was in the third grade, her family briefly moved back to India where she spent six months in private school. Though she spoke Punjabi as a pre-schooler, she never learned to read or write the language. She found it difficult to understand her Indian school lessons and it was hard to adjust to the stringent educational culture.
When her family returned to the states, Mandeep entered John Steinbeck Elementary in Fresno, California. Still wearing her school uniform from India, her first challenge was to overcome the cultural differences with her classmates who didn’t understand her strict family. Another issue was her father’s lifelong ill health that impacted the family financially and limited Mandeep’s after-school opportunities.
As she “got back into the groove” of American language and culture, Mandeep’s love of reading and writing stories drew her to the library rather than the playground. By the time she attended Sunnyside High School in Fresno, Mandeep was taking advanced courses including participating in the Doctors Academy program and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes.
Becoming a Dell Scholar
Though Mandeep did well in her high school Advanced Placement courses, she didn’t think her preparation would be up to the standards of the Ivy League schools. She is thankful for her teachers who encouraged her potential and for the Dell Scholars program that made it financially possible to attend Brown.
The guidance, moral support and tools for success that she received from her participation in the Dell Scholars program are significant to Mandeep. Sadly, her father passed away days before she entered Brown. The program mentors and team not only helped to guide her through the tough transition to college life, but they also helped her deal with the stress resulting from her deep personal loss and familial concerns. Though she often felt as though her academic skills were behind those of her peers at Brown, she prevailed in earning her degree and securing her first career position at JPMorgan Chase.
When asked what advice she would pass on to high school students dreaming of going to college, Mandeep had this to offer: “If I can make it into an Ivy League school, you can too. Just work hard and don’t let finances get in the way because the Dell Scholars program and other opportunities are available to help.”
For information on the Dell Scholars Program visit www.dellscholars.org