Jaden Serame

My family's early life has greatly impacted the way I view the world around me. My father and mother as well as their siblings immigrated to America in the year 1989. They lived a moderate lifestyle that taught them to live by their needs rather than their wants. They were taught that education is the key to success regardless of your social class. They then instilled this belief into the minds of me and my siblings. Growing up in a household as a first-generation American, I learned the value of hard work early on. Throughout my childhood, I witnessed the financial sacrifices my parents made to make my siblings and I’s life easier. My parents had high aspirations for me, dreaming that I would one day become a lawyer, a doctor, or an engineer. On Sundays at the dinner table, our conversations often circled around my future career. I can remember all the times my siblings and I have been asked, “Which one of you is going to be a lawyer?” by a family member. Each time I would often sit in silence, unsure of my path and always pushed this question away claiming that I would think about it. It wasn’t until my junior year of high school that I began to explore my interests more deeply; sparked by a conversation between me and my uncle. He encouraged me to think about what truly mattered to me, and that discussion opened my eyes to my passion for business, specifically in the fields of Accounting and Finance. Over the past few years, I have become greatly enamored with financial media because of all the important financial events that have occurred. I have lived through the Game Stop short squeeze of 2021, the Cryptocurrency explosion in 2021, the eventual downfall of Ftx and Cryptocurrency in late 2021 - early 2022, and the bankruptcy of Bed Bath and Beyond in 2023 to name a few. My family was personally affected by the Crypto bubble due to my mother and other family members investing their savings into a Cryptocurrency known as NovatechFx. In 2023 NovatechFx was revealed to be a pyramid scheme scam that had defrauded their investors out of their money. I witnessed my family members lose their savings due to that poor investment choice. These were hardworking individuals who often juggled two jobs, yet their financial struggles were exploited without a second thought. I was greatly troubled by this revelation and wondered to myself how this was allowed to occur in our modern society. The bankruptcy of Cryptocurrency led me to increasing my consumption of financial information from people who are proficient in these fields. I wanted to gain the knowledge needed to help me prepare for my eventual pursuit into the field of Accounting/Finance. I want to be able to give people accurate financial information to help them make safe and sound decisions with their money. I want to be able to make big corporations properly audit their financial data in their annual reports. These preceding events led to me pursuing a bachelor's degree in Accounting, which would then be followed by an MBA. I want the ability to equip myself with the knowledge and skills necessary to empower others and create a positive impact in my community. As I look toward my future, I am highly motivated by the opportunity to turn my passion into a purpose, and the idea of helping others navigate the complexities of Finance. This journey, rooted in my family’s experiences and my challenges, has shaped not only my academic aspirations but also my commitment to making a difference.