Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A member of American Samoa Community College’s Class of 2023 who graduated with high honors and was awarded a McDonald’s scholarship, tells Samoa News about the financial struggles faced by international students.
Ualesi Mua, 22, a citizen of Samoa who is a legal resident of Am Samoa says, "Growing up as an international student in American Samoa ties me with financial struggles unlike my friends and classmates.”
In an exclusive interview with Samoa News, Mua says, winning a McDonald's American Samoa Scholarship was a much-appreciated reward for him and his parents. He was beyond grateful when the company acknowledged his story and supported him with the funding to pursue his Bachelor degree in Criminal Justice at Southern Utah University next semester.
"Aiming for law school to become a lawyer is also on my run in the future. Studying criminal law in U.S standards to ensure peace in the islands of Samoa assures my confidence to keep going.”
Mua is the first generation of his family to graduate on U.S soil from Kanana Fou, a private high school in American Samoa.
He was the Class Salutatorian when he graduated in 2018
Financing his high school education, he was a recipient of an EFKAS scholarship that paid half of his tuition based on good grades for all four years in high school.
He passed the ASVAB (military test) and was offered a spot at a military school in the U.S. state of Georgia, "but I couldn’t go due to my non-citizenship status.
"I would work at night and take college classes during the day to make financial ends meet for my family and my school tuition.
“Being marked an ‘alien’ in another country’s politics fixed my precision and my focus to strive for the best with limited opportunities given.”
Mua being a recipient of one of McDonald’s American Samoa’s $20,000 scholarship awards —says it is amazing as it allows him to continue his educational journey to obtain his bachelor's degree.
“I am grateful that my commitment and dedication have been rewarded. During my time with ASCC, there were many financial challenges as an international student, which drove me to focus on my tuition and how to pay it, rather than concentrating on the education itself.
"The journey was long and not easy, in which it took me longer to get my AA due to financial barriers. Despite that, I pushed forward and persevered, and it has left me with an eye-opening experience.
“Moving forward, knowing that I have overcome a complicated obstacle gives the confidence to overcome the next.
“However, I would not have made it this far without the non-ending support from my parents, family, friends, coworkers, and especially my Lord and Savior.
“Although there will be more financial hurdles ahead, this scholarship will mean so much to me and my educational journey.
"I have to study online courses in order for me to save up to pay for the other half of my tuition fees. Because I'm not entitled to student loans, the local students get," Mua told Samoa News.
With the approval of McDonald’s American Samoa, the $20k scholarship will pay for his online courses, as he couldn’t afford going off island for classes.
"I also cannot work there under a student-visa. So I will be doing online courses because they have an online program. I will also be saving up that by next year or one of the semesters I could go and finish off my classes."
Mua said his family moved here in 2005, while he was only 4 years old as his grandmother was American Samoan born. His parents attended the CCCAS Theological School and graduated in 2019.
He says he is grateful for his McDonald’s Scholarship, which encourages him to chase his dream of becoming a Criminal Lawyer, however the work he does now is also helping him with his practical experience and also to save up so he can actually attend classes in person in the near future.
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