On Tuesday, May 24, Bianca Jeannot, 22, graduated with a bachelor’s in English and a certificate in forensic’s science from the College of New Rochelle.
Her circumstances were a little different from that of her peers.
To get there, she had to work 4 jobs while taking care of two older brothers, one of whom had a kidney disease that required dialysis, and the other with down syndrome---all by herself.
The family, she, her mother, and siblings, lived in homeless shelters before settling in a government-subsidized apartment. When their mother died in 2012, Bianca, then 18, became the sole breadwinner for the family.
“I don’t know,” Bianca told ABC News, when asked how she did it. “I can only seek to go forward. I never had the luxury to stop moving...It’s not much of a burden...It’s a weight that I’m willing to carry and I’ve learned to adjust.”
At the college’s commencement address, Bianca’s story was mentioned by the speaker, Robin Roberts.
“She hugged me,” Bianca said. “She told me I was so inspirational.”
Despite having to work and take care of her family, Bianca found time for extracurriculars, was editor-in-chief of a literary and arts magazine, as well as organizing an anime club.
Bianca managed to maintain a 3.8 GPA and won several scholarships, including one that enabled her to study abroad in Europe for three weeks.
“I couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends and family,” Bianca said.
