May 12, 2023 – At the final Business Advisory Council meeting of the academic year of 2022-23, held on April 20th, members of the council heard the story of College of Business student Berenice Lemus, a business major with a dual concentration in accounting and information systems. Berenice was invited to the meeting to share her story and receive the Hilda Holl Memorial Scholarship, presented by Michael Holl, husband of the late Hilda Holl, and their daughter, Kylie. 

As a member of the Rotary Club of Carmel Valley since 2017, Michael worked with the club’s Foundation Board to determine a meaningful way to honor his wife after she passed away from cancer in 2021. Because of Hilda’s business background and Hispanic heritage, Michael decided that a special scholarship fund focused on, but not limited to, Hispanic women business students would be the most appropriate tribute to his wife’s legacy. Read more about Hilda Holl.

The College of Business at CSU Monterey Bay is delighted to be able to feature the Hilda Holl Memorial Scholarship on its Scholarships webpage, which serves as a resource for students in search of financial assistance to pursue their academic and career goals.

“As a first-generation student, many simple moments feel enormous. Walking around campus and into the Business Information Technology building, I sometimes cannot believe how far I have come… I will set an example for others in my shoes and show them that success is possible no matter where you come from.” 

– Berenice Lemus

Berenice’s Story

My family immigrated to the United States twelve years ago. As a first-generation student, I have experienced a great deal of responsibility falling on me from a young age regarding my academics. Since my parents did not have the opportunity to attend school, they have a very limited understanding of the steps necessary to attend college, and they have not always been able to provide me with the support I need. This led me to have feelings of doubt and hopelessness as I was growing up, especially as I entered high school. Although they were emotionally draining, I overcame those challenges by taking the initiative to seek the support I needed. This not only led me to find that support but to become a more independent individual while creating relationships with those around me. I was no longer afraid to ask for help when needed, and I learned there was nothing wrong with asking questions that would help guide me. Moving to a new country and leaving everything I had ever known at such a young age was a huge challenge in my life. During this time, adjusting to our new way of life was challenging in a place where I did not know the language or culture. But as time passed, I began to make more friends and grew a love for learning. At an early age, I realized the importance of embracing the change around me and making the best of what I have.

Starting at CSUMB, that is precisely what I did; I embraced the change and took advantage of every opportunity that came my way. I started my first year at CSUMB in my small apartment room, simultaneously caring for my niece and nephew and working part-time. Since I was living with my sister, I took on some of the responsibility of helping care for her children. I often had to wake up earlier to cook breakfast and ensure my niece was ready for school. Frequently on my days with no class, I would work late and not get home until past ten at night. Although other responsibilities consumed my time, I maintained a high GPA, making it onto the dean’s list every semester. Likewise, I formed some strong connections with professors, staff, and students. After my first semester at CSUMB, I began working as a student assistant for the College of Business, where I provided support for faculty and students. I have now been with the College of Business for almost two years, and since then, I have moved to work as an AACSB Data student assistant, where I can analyze student data and develop my analytics skills. As a student assistant, I was also able to connect closely with professors. From the connections I formed with my professors, I developed an interest in conducting research and became an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Center (UROC) Apple Scholar. With the UROC scholars, I plan on building on concepts learned in the classroom and conducting research involving the accounting and information systems fields. With UROC, I will not only be able to dive into research topics but also take ownership of my learning and establish my scholarly identity. As I connected more with professors and other students, I was encouraged to become an officer for the Accounting Society. The Accounting Society fostered my love for the world of accounting. Throughout this past year of being a part of this organization, I gained more experience and worked my way up to the Vice President position. I have dedicated a big portion of my time to running and planning meetings and bringing in guest speakers for students to grow their understanding and interest in accounting. Likewise, I have become one of CalCPA’s Industry influencers, which allows me to be an ambassador for the accounting profession on campus. Through my involvement in the business community, I was also able to volunteer at the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, in which I was not only able to develop my communication skills and those learned in accounting, but I was able to use them to serve my community. Despite the rocky start of my college career, I am proud of all the opportunities I have taken and my willingness to move past adversity. At first, getting out of my comfort zone was a little intimidating, but once I was out, there was no going back, and I began to grow tremendously.

Moving forward, my passion for business has continued to grow with all the courses, research, and networking opportunities I have been exposed to by being in the CSUMB business program. My academic goals are to attend graduate school and complete a Master’s in Accounting with an additional focus on Information Systems. By attending graduate school, I aim to obtain a higher understanding of the accounting industry and the development of accounting data analytics in the industry. Additionally, I aspire to connect with individuals in the accounting industry and collaborate to solve industry issues. I also plan to build my skills by completing my public accountant (CPA) certification, which comes with the achievement of extensive education on accounting topics. With an M.S. in Accountancy & Information Systems, plus the additional knowledge from my CPA license, my main career goal is to work for a future-driven accounting firm that will allow me to explore and develop software that will contribute to the development of the industry.

As a first-generation student, many simple moments feel enormous. Walking around campus and into the Business Information Technology building, I sometimes cannot believe how far I have come. Receiving an education is my daily motivator to get up from bed to reach the point I aim to be at. I am ambitious to surpass any low expectations anyone has had of me. I will set an example for others in my shoes and show them that success is possible no matter where you come from. I like to think that behind every successful individual, there are people who provide them with tools to reach the point of success. From first arriving in the United States to this moment right now, I have grown to be a self-motivated and ambitious individual, which is why I [applied for this] scholarship.