Rocio Molina Dominguez realized in second grade that she was good at math. As a Papillion-La Vista South High School student, the subject was easy, too.

“I don’t really have to try to be good at it. It’s easy, and it comes naturally,” she said.

When she enrolled at College of Saint Mary, Rocio knew she would major in math.

“It’s become a lot more difficult because it’s higher-level math, but it’s still really enjoyable to me,” she said.

Math opens a world of possibilities for Rocio, now a senior still deciding how to use her degree in a career. Math majors can choose from various career options, including actuarial work, statistics, inventory control, financial planning, computer programming, systems analysis, and more.

Rocio said her professors, including Mark Sand, PhD, who serves as her advisor, have been supportive throughout her four years at CSM.

“I love my math professors,” she said. “They are very caring and interested in your life and the things you do. But they also want to make sure I succeed. They’ve always been supportive and ensured I’m doing OK in and out of school. It’s been great.”

For Rocio, the opportunity to attend college in question. She was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. with her parents when she was just two years old, which meant she wasn’t eligible for federal student loans. However, her mother and aunt told her about the Misericordia Scholarship, which opens the door to education for undocumented students of diverse backgrounds. It is donor-funded. Rocio applied and received an interview. A short time later, she learned she received the scholarship.

“It was quite emotional because it never seemed like a real possibility that I would have in life,” she said. “The opportunities that come along with it and the people I’ve met here make me really grateful and thankful for everything I got.”