Miribel Tran believes if there’s a will, there’s a way. The future media executive and entrepreneur is a winner of our #MyCollegeCosts Challenge, underwritten by Charles Schwab.

What is your professional dream?

I ultimately want to become a media executive and entrepreneur. I’m deeply passionate about bringing more representation to Hollywood as well as empowering people to be the best version of themselves, both mentally and physically. I’ve been thinking about media and entrepreneurship ever since I could watch and comprehend television. I want to gain the necessary experiences that will prepare me for my future. So, right now, I plan on doing this by pursuing product management and marketing internships at rapidly growing media technology companies.

What are challenges you’ve faced while trying to fund your professional dream?

I believe one of the hardest things that I’ve faced is trying to learn how to prioritize my own needs versus the needs of those I love — especially during difficult circumstances. It may be easy to fund my dreams when all is well, but when my family is facing a rough time, it’s not so easy. I care about them more than my own needs, so their needs ultimately trump my own. Sometimes it just doesn’t seem like the rough times will ever get better, however, it is all worth it to me because I really care and love my family more than anything.

What does winning the #MyCollegeCosts challenge mean to you?

Winning #MyCollegeCosts means the absolute world to me! It means that there are resources and support available out there for young women to pursue their dreams, endeavors, and ambitions. I am so thankful to the 1,000 Dreams Fund for providing these kinds of resources. I truly have been able to have more peace of mind lately knowing that many of my needs — both personal and professional — are being taken care of. It has been a true life-changer.

How do you fund your college costs? (e.g. part-time job, scholarships, etc.)

I fund a majority of my college costs through local and regional scholarships that I earned from high school. In addition, Stanford also pays for a large part of my tuition through the financial aid programs offered. I also use my savings and earnings from previous internships and current part-time jobs and freelancing jobs in order to pay for whatever college costs might arise.

What advice do you have for young women facing financial hardship while pursuing their college dreams?

Don’t stress, just finesse. Know that there are always resources out there and people who are willing to help; the hardest part is doing your research and learning more about what is available to you. If you can’t find any opportunities — or have exhausted the list of current opportunities — create your own! I have found that some of the best ways for me to fund my college costs are through providing value to others. Utilize a skill that you may have, whether it is tutoring, creating websites from scratch, doing marketing and social media consulting, selling/renting your clothes out to other students, and so much more. There is always a way to be the ultimate go-getter and create opportunities to make it all work. Have faith in yourself and it will work out.