The SM Foundation Scholarship Program provides a chance for is alumnus Fritz Mendez to achieve his dream of a college education and a successful career.
Since 1993, SM, through its social good arm, the SM Foundation, has championed education by granting college scholarships to worthy students from economically vulnerable neighborhoods, demonstrating how education and hard work can lead to a life free of poverty.
Henry Sy, the creator of SM, believed that education was the best kind of resistance against poverty. For him, one of the most powerful ways to make a difference in a community is to assist a student in obtaining a college degree; the multiplier effect continues when that graduate eventually becomes capable of aiding his family, the company for which he will work, and society as a whole.
Aside from assisting approximately 4,200 scholar beneficiaries annually, the scholarship program is also working to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by improving youth education, building school facilities, and providing classrooms around the country.
For Fritz Mendez, this journey is anything but straightforward. Living in a vulnerable community, survival was the only thing he could think of.
His mother was forced to leave her job as a domestic helper due to the war in Lebanon. This and several other familial problems forced him to stop attending school, feeling that escaping poverty was an impossible dream.
“When you live in our community, it seems expected of you not to go to college or have a degree because poverty is very rampant. I, however, had a dream inside me to show to my community and family that I can have a college degree,” he said. “Having an opportunity to fulfill that dream through the SM Scholarship is indeed a blessing I prayed for. I took all the courage to apply and the SM Foundation gave me a shot.”
Achieving the once-impossible dream
SM Scholarship Program alumni Fritz takes his turn in inspiring the new generation of SM scholars.
Starting college at the age of 19, and being older than his peers didn’t stop Fritz from developing his skills and making the most of the opportunity given to him.
The supportive environment of the scholarship program and his involvement in church activities helped him turn his negative experiences into positive actions. He discovered his passion for writing and performing, his outgoing nature, and his leadership skills, which were honed through various church and school activities.
Fritz also developed practical skills like budgeting and time management, crucial for his survival and success in college and future career. These experiences boosted his confidence and expanded his horizons.
“The scholarship unleashed a new side of me. From merely thinking about survival, I developed a sense of responsibility, discipline, and an appreciation for the value of labor and money. This growth was particularly evident during my participation in the SM Scholarship’s summer job program, where I learned to budget my earnings effectively. I was able to provide for our household needs while still saving enough for my allowance in the upcoming semester.”
Living the dream
Family is everything. At work, Fritz encourages fellow employees to spread social good.
After earning his Accounting Technology degree in 2014, he landed his first and only job at BDO Unibank.
Climbing the corporate ladder, he is now a senior teller while also serving as the Regional Director of the BDO Employees Association for the Visayas region. While managing key accounts in his area, he uplifts his colleagues, leads effectively, and proposes innovative welfare policies for his fellow employees.
“The SM Group has taught me that family is everything. As an SM scholar, their encouragement and support showed me the true meaning of family. Now, working at BDO Unibank, I get to experience and demonstrate how to nurture my family,” he said.
Fritz is now able to provide for his family’s basic requirements and maintain a healthy living environment, particularly for his mother, who encouraged his desire of a better life.
“Beyond this, the SM Scholarship gave hope to me, a high school student who could have accepted his fate. The SM Scholarship not only made me the only degree holder in a broken family but also provided an opportunity for me to envision a brighter, more promising future. It highlighted the potential for students like me to begin anew and forge our own paths toward success.”
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