As a first-generation college student, Maylin Andrade Saracayo had an inspiring role model in her older sister who graduated from Indiana University and is now pursuing a master’s degree in social work at IUPUI. Maylin had intended to follow in her sister’s footsteps by attending IU until a campus visit to Butler inspired her to forge her own trail.

“After I visited the campus, I was really excited, and I thought, ‘I could see myself here,’” Maylin says. “I think I fell in love with the campus, and I didn’t want to let it go. I didn’t really think Butler was an attainable option, but once I saw they were accepting applications for a full ride, I said, ‘Let’s give it a shot,’ because I have nothing to lose, right?”

Maylin is one of nine incoming students who earned the Butler Tuition Guarantee Scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship for Marion County students with financial need who have demonstrated a solid academic record in high school and participation in extracurricular activities and community service projects.

During her four years at Lawrence North High School, Maylin clearly demonstrated both. Along with serving as vice president of the Spanish Honor Society for two years and as President of her freshman class, she was actively involved in many other student activities, including the Black Student Union, the Spanish Immersion program, and volunteering as a mentor for students in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. 

Maylin says she is most excited about having the chance to pursue her academic passions at Butler. She plans to major in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with the intention of pursuing graduate school to become a speech pathologist. She says she is inspired to help others because she knows how difficult it can be to find resources when you’re in need of support. Maylin’s mother emigrated to the United States from El Salvador in 1999, and Maylin says she and her family had to work hard at times to find the resources they needed.

“I have always been interested in helping my community; it’s something I’ve been very passionate about from a young age just because I didn’t receive a lot of support when I was younger, nor did my family,” Maylin says. “I want to become a speech pathologist and hopefully help others through that field.”

Along with her extensive extracurricular activities, Maylin also participated in the TeenWorks program in high school, which connects teens to summer jobs, mentorship, and workshops designed to help them prepare for a career path. Through her participation, Maylin earned an additional scholarship to cover the room and board cost so she can live on campus.

“I’m excited to make new friends, and to acclimate to independence with the help of a support net.”

Maylin says the Butler Tuition Guarantee Scholarship is important not only for increasing access to a Butler education but for communicating a sense of belonging for any student who might take a campus tour and envision themselves here, as she did.

“One reason this scholarship is significant to me is because a lot of students had access to it,” Maylin says. “Everyone got a chance to apply, and it shows it’s there, it’s possible. It’s important for low-income students or students of color to understand that there is a spot for you and there is an opportunity for you. Once I was given this opportunity, I was so happy, and there was such a sense of relief that I no longer had to worry about the financial side of my education. I’m really grateful.”

The Butler Tuition Guarantee Scholarship is made possible in part through donor gifts. You can support current and future recipients of the Butler Tuition Guarantee Scholarship and other financial assistance opportunities by making a gift to the Butler Fund for Student Scholarship today at gifts.butler.edu.