Jenny Chen, a 1,000 Dreams Fund Scholarship 2020 recipient, is attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign this coming semester as a Gies College of Business student. But, even though her goal is to become a CPA, she wants to prioritize the importance of giving back to the community while still living the dreams of her life.

What is your professional dream?

My dream is to become a certified public accountant.

How will you use the 1,000 Dreams Scholarship?

This scholarship will help pay for the textbooks and supplies needed to help me succeed in class.

How is this scholarship helping you get closer to your dream?

With the ability to purchase the textbooks that are necessary to help prepare me as an accountant, I will be one step closer to achieving my professional goal of becoming a CPA.

​What advice do you have for other young women who are wanting to pursue their dreams?

Dream big and never give up when you face setbacks.

Have you had any setbacks? How did you move past them?

One setback I’ve encountered is feeling helpless when faced with severe family situations. During those periods, I would cry myself to sleep at night and force a smile while attending school. There were so many bottled-up emotions that I didn’t know how to manage or express other than crying myself to sleep. Going through such an experience made me realize that there are plenty of people around that care deeply about you and that it is alright to confide in them.

What’s next for you? What is your next goal?

My next goal is to push myself to the limits and to discover how much I can grow as a person.