Feature Stories 2025: Jacqueline Molina ’25: Scholarships expand horizons at UMassD and beyond

For Jacqueline Molina ’25, a middle school field trip to UMass Dartmouth was all it took to realize her dream of becoming a Corsair. As she toured campus and explored everything the University has to offer, Molina soaked in the sights and sounds of a place that felt like a home away from home. It was here, among the welcoming atmosphere of campus and the promise of academic opportunity, that she first glimpsed into the future she wanted to create for herself. 

“I knew I wanted to commute to cut down on expenses, so I looked at colleges that were close to home,” said Molina, a proud first-generation senior from New Bedford who always dreamt of becoming the kind of nurse that advocates for patients during their most vulnerable moments. She had little doubt that this would be the path she’d trek as a Corsair—and the right one at that. “UMass Dartmouth was just the one for me.” 

With her heart set on studying nursing, a notoriously rigorous program that ranks among the top 10% of the nation’s best, paying for it remained one of Molina’s biggest concerns. She worked two jobs to save up enough money to cover most of her tuition but quickly discovered that the demands of being a nursing student left little room for anything else. Balancing her coursework and clinicals with work made it difficult to fully embrace the UMass Dartmouth experience as she had hoped, prompting her to cut one job from her schedule and stick to part-time. It left her in a predicament: How would she afford the rest of her tuition? 

“My mom has been a constant reminder to always believe in myself, work hard, and never give up, even when things become challenging. My parents didn’t have the chance to complete school as they had to start working from a very young age. Their experiences have motivated me to keep pushing forward,” said Molina. She turned to a critical source of support for many students dealing with similar circumstances: scholarships. 

When her applications came back successful and her financial burden alleviated, Molina was overwhelmed by the generosity of UMass Dartmouth’s community of donors. “Whatever financial aid didn’t cover, my scholarships did,” she said. “Receiving these scholarships has been incredibly meaningful, not just to me but to my family as well. Each semester, they have brought me one step closer to achieving my long-term goal of obtaining a college education.” 

Free from financial worries and grateful for her scholarship support, Molina focused more on her studies and the many opportunities at her fingertips, and less on how to pay for it all. She even traveled to Portugal as part of the Bridging the Atlantic Program, an international alliance in community health between UMass Dartmouth and the University of the Azores funded by the DeMello Charitable Foundation. Along with nursing students and faculty from both institutions, Molina took part in an exchange that fosters lifelong professional relationships and enhances cultural awareness through the exploration of global healthcare systems.  

“The Bridging the Atlantic Program was an incredible experience for me,” said Molina. During the program, she visited healthcare centers, hospitals, and cultural sites; attended classes alongside Azorean students; and collaborated on a community health project focused on immigrant and migrant health. “It was amazing to learn about the differences in healthcare systems between Portugal and the United States, and it was the perfect opportunity to learn about different cultures.” 

As Molina prepares to graduate this spring, her story is far from over. With the support of her family, the UMass Dartmouth community, and the scholarships that have altered the course of her education, she is on the brink of becoming the nurse she always knew she could be—ready to make a difference and shape the future of healthcare.