Hillsborough Community College Class of 2022 student commencement speaker is 21-year-old Melany Ysabel Sampi Bravo, an international student from Peru who has earned an associate in arts degree and plans to major in political science.
She says, “In Latin America, things are so different. As a female, I grew up feeling vulnerable and like I’d never have a voice. It sucks to say, but you grow up thinking your legal system will never be good enough. That is what made me decide to pursue law and be in a position to work for the people. I quickly learned that to accomplish my goals, I’d have to go to a place that could offer me more opportunities than the few available in my country.”
Melany’s passion for human rights and the dream to one day work for the United Nations drove her to seek out educational opportunities in the United States.
When her uncle listened to an HCC Spanish radio ad that was broadcast in the Clearwater area, he encouraged Melany to research more about the school. After visiting and falling in love with the Tampa area, receiving her international student visa and spending six months taking English classes, she was ready for HCC.
In fall 2020, she enrolled at the Dale Mabry Campus and moved into the student-affiliated housing, Hawks Landing.
“I was here alone, in a foreign country, during a global pandemic. I had to be very strong my first semester.”
“I’m a dreamer, and I get that from my mom. She’s always pushed me, my brother and sister to dream big. I come from a single parent household, and I admire how much she has done to afford the opportunities she has given us. She’s worked mornings, afternoons, nights, weekends. I hope everyone appreciates how much parents do.
Everything I have accomplished has shown me language is just a barrier. My mom has sacrificed so much more, and I hope to show her everything she has done for me was worth it. She made me strong enough to follow my dreams, and I hope she knows just how thankful and grateful I am.”
Melany credits her experiences at HCC in helping shape who she is today.
When the College reopened its campuses to in-person learning, she took the opportunity to get involved. Aside from being a part of the HCC Honors Program, she became an International Student Ambassador for the
HCC Center for International Education, senator for the Student Government Association, as well as a member of the Model United Nations team and the Phi Beta Lambda Club.
“Being a student leader has taught me empathy, how to support others and to be humble. I’ve had other students tell me, ‘You inspire me.’ That honestly made me cry. They’ve said, ‘We see the classes you take, and we see how involved you are on campus. You look like a leader, and we want to be like you. You make us want to push ourselves.’ I didn’t realize my actions were inspiring others. Even when you don’t think anyone is watching, someone is.”
Speaking on her accomplishments, Melany says, “A lot of things I’ve done don’t compare to the fact that I made a lot of real friends here. They’ve taken care of me when I’ve gotten sick, they’ve been by my side when I was sad, they’ve given me advice, we’ve laughed and cried together. I’m so thankful for them. I went from feeling alone and lonely to surrounded by love and family.”
A word of advice to others, “Work hard for the things you want, there is no obstacle that you can’t get through. The language barrier was my biggest obstacle, but now I don’t even consider it a problem. You just have to be willing to learn. My English isn’t perfect, but I work on it every day. It also doesn’t make me any less smart than those around me. It’s okay to be scared. But you’re never going to know what the outcome is unless you try it. I came to this country and this school with a dream. I work hard every day for what I want.”
Melany will be transferring to the University of South Florida in fall 2022, where she will pursue her bachelor’s degree in political science and minor in international relations.
She would like to thank God, her mother, Ysabel, her sister, Lys, for watching over her two dogs in Peru, her brother, Robert, for his endless advice and for stepping up as a father figure, her Model U.N. advisors, HCC professors Erik Fiske and Rebecca Schoffman, and her best friend at HCC, Brad, for being her biggest support.
“They’ve all contributed to my success; I have to recognize that. Yes, it’s been my effort, but I’ve made it this far because of them.”
“I look back and can barely believe I was able to finish these last two years as an international student. I learned a new language, experienced culture shock, made new friends and found family in a new church. Two years ago, I was scared to start college. But now I feel more excited and nervous, in a good way, about continuing my education. It’s going to be different, but I know what to expect.”