How the Google Lime Scholarship changed my life
No matter what happens, it will all work out for the best. You may not see it at that very moment, but don’t let small setbacks halt you in your tracks!
Let’s go back in time… It was February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic began. I was resting and working from home, recovering from a bad bout of cold. I was reflecting back on the past 6 months, where the continued changes in the immigration policies, in addition to my never-ending visa issues, were weighing heavily on my mind.
In 2019, I quit my job in engineering to go back to school for Human-Computer Interaction at Georgia Tech. I walked away from an approved H1b application to follow my passion for UX and accessibility; I never guessed that this decision would have damaging consequences on my visa status. While I was having a blast learning all these amazing new things through my work within accessibility, I was unaware of the slew of visa issues that were headed my way.
I was not prepared to deal with the slew of visa issues that were headed my way.
My employer filed for an H1b withdrawal and this process usually took about 45–90 days. On October 1, 2019, I was traveling on a bus with fellow Georgia Tech students, on my way to attend Grace Hopper Celebration, one of the largest women technology conferences, when I received a call from the Office of International Education(OIE) at Georgia Tech. “I’m really sorry to inform you, but your SEVIS record had been terminated, as the H1b withdrawal did not go through on time. Please come meet with us to discuss further options regarding your status as a student.” (SEVIS is a web-based information system that tracks and monitors F, M, and J nonimmigrants and dependents throughout the duration of approved participation within the U.S. education system or designated exchange visitor program) At that moment, I was terrified! All these questions surged through my mind: Would this mean I would lose my status as a student? What would happen to all my savings that were invested in my education? Would I complete my degree?
After I returned from the conference and met with my adviser at OIE, I gained more clarity on the situation. This is what it meant for me:
- I could no longer accept any paid employment a.k.a. I lost my on-campus job.
- Depending on how long this process took, it could potentially jeopardize my ability to intern over the summer.
- Until this situation was resolved, I could no longer accept on-campus Graduate or Teaching Assistantship. (GTA/GRAs can cover up to a 100% tuition waiver)
- The only silver-lining: This did not affect my enrollment in the graduate program, so I could still make progress on my degree, continue learning, and attend classes.
I felt helpless. I felt shackled.
I felt shackled in this situation, as I could no longer seek avenues for financial assistance through employment. At that very moment… I felt broken. All my efforts throughout the past year felt voided. Every time I took 2 steps forward, life pushed me 1 step back. I was upset. I was angry. Why me?
I took some time off for myself and it truly paid off. 2019 has been one of the most challenging phases of my life, but I am so grateful to my family, friends, and mentors who stood by me and supported me through this trying time. I focused on myself and my work but overall, I focused on giving back, so I could make sure that I could be there for another ‘Nandita’ who may need me. I assured myself that this would resolve within 2–3 months, so hopefully, I will still be able to get back up in time for Spring 2020. I immersed myself in my work and those experiences and moments were the most fulfilling in my life!
November rolled into December and there were still no updates on my visa status; The process was taking forever, and I felt helpless. There was nothing I could do to expedite the process. Panic had started to set in and I was worried about what would happen if this did not resolve itself soon. I started looking for other opportunities to fund my degree and found the Google Lime Scholarship application. The scholarship is offered through Lime Connect for students who identify with having visible or invisible disabilities and exemplify leadership and demonstrate a commitment to and passion for computer science and technology. I applied and requested my amazing mentor, Dr. Cindy Bethel, to recommend me. My other mentors (Thank you Dr. Carrie Bruce!) and friends (Thank you Meenakshi!) supported me through the process. I worked through the process and focused on expressing my story through the application. I shared my work within accessibility and talked about my journey as a student with a disability. The deadline in December passed and I forgot all about the application.
On December 21st, 2019 there was a Christmas miracle. USCIS changed my status to “Withdrawal complete” through their online status portal. I was ecstatic! This is the news I was waiting to hear for the past 6 months! It was all going to be okay. Alas! I was so very wrong. SEVIS required official documentation from USCIS regarding the status change, and they would not accept anything less. At this point, I had to wait until USCIS sent it to my former employer, who would then send it to me. I would have to relay that information to my school and then they would petition to reinstate my F1 status in SEVIS. Long story short: It was going to take more time.
At this point, it was almost January and I was about to begin my second semester at Georgia Tech. I had been offered a Graduate Research Assistantship and while I was overjoyed at the prospect of continuing my research and funding my degree through the assistantship, the question of my status still remained unclear. Every day felt like an eternity and unfortunately, the process did not go through in time. I had lost funding, again.
I had gambled away all my savings from the past couple of years into this degree and I had a week to figure out how to pay my tuition. I had been assured that my visa issues would be resolved in time, but unfortunately, everything fell apart. As an international student, obtaining a student loan in the United States, within a limited time, can be extremely challenging. My family was my biggest support through this process and I am so grateful to have a support system that helped me out. My cousin, who is a citizen, co-signed a loan for me and that saved the semester!
Now coming back to February, here I was, recovering from a sickness and reflecting on this past month. My life had been in complete disarray; I had again lost funding, and I was worried about upcoming financial difficulties. All these depressive thoughts were looming around me when I was interrupted by a phone call.
“Hi! This is Alissa from Lime Connect, and I’m calling to congratulate you on the Google Lime Scholarship!”
I started crying. There were no words to express how I felt that very moment.
I felt relieved. I felt validated. I felt my efforts had finally paid off. My world had been shattered through the past couple of months and to receive this prestigious scholarship was one of the most emotional moments of my life. At the same time… I felt so humbled. From all the amazing people who had applied, they choose me and I was so grateful and humbled at that moment.
This also felt like a responsibility; I was eternally grateful for this recognition and scholarship, and I wanted to make sure that I can pay it forward! I am currently working within the field of digital accessibility and I aim to help create inclusive experiences for everyone! Here is a link to some of my work. One of my major projects is creating a Digital Accessibility Storytelling Collective to showcase the stories and work of people within the accessibility field! The stories aim to inspire people to consider accessibility in their process so as to create equitable experiences for all! Check out The Shakti Collective to learn more about these stories.
I learned a lot from this experience! It made me stronger and more resilient, and truly made me appreciate all the wonderful people in my life who stood by me, regardless of my circumstances!
It has taken me a while to open up regarding this experience. If you are reading this, I share this story in an attempt to let you know that do believe in yourself and things will work out.
As one of my mentors told me, “Don’t let failure halt you in your tracks.”
It is okay to take some time to yourself to embrace and accept the pain. Lean on your family, friends, and support system; there is no shame in asking for help. The only thing constant in life is change; if you are struggling through something, know that it will pass. If there is any way I can help and support you, reach out! I’m here for you!
Here is my story, and I’d love to hear from you!
Reach out if you have any questions about the scholarship, application process, or if you just want to connect!
Interested in learning more about the application process?
Stay tuned for my next post!
