“Always listen to your heart and mind and do what you want and what will make you happy!” That is some solid advice from Sena F., a 1,000 Dreams Fund Scholarship winner who is studying architectural engineering at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO).

What is your professional dream?

My dream is to work at a big engineering firm and start my own firm later on — and also to start a nonprofit organization.

How will you use the 1,000 Dreams Scholarship?

I will use the 1,000 Dreams Scholarship to help pay for my tuition cost.

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

Paying for college can be hard for people. The 1,000 Dreams Scholarship is helping me attend college and focus on my education rather than worry about the financial side of things and how I will be able to continue obtaining that education.

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

Never let anyone tell you what you can or can’t accomplish and never give up!

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

Choosing a college was a bit of a problem for me at the beginning. I wanted to find a good college that would provide great education and that didn’t cost a lot. I thought of starting out at a community college at first and then transferring to a university; however, I started getting opportunities like this one and saw that I can actually go to a college I want without having the stress of finding money to support my dreams.

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

My next goal is to have a successful and enjoyable college life, graduate with honors and a high GPA, and start my master’s degree.