Jennifer WinfieldMoises Brito ’24 dreamed of attending Chapman since his first year of high school. As a first-generation accounting and business administration double major, he learned a lot about himself and what he’s capable of.
“When I read my acceptance letter, I felt a rush of excitement and then sadness,” he said. Even with the state and federal financial aid he’d received, there was still a gap between what he and his family could pay. “I wanted to go to Chapman, but I didn’t think my family could afford it. I didn’t want to struggle financially throughout my academic career.”
Days later, on his birthday, Brito received an email regarding an offer for the OC Heritage Grant, a Chapman award that is given to local students with a demonstrated need who have strong academics and are leaders in their community. The grant closed the gap and made it possible for Moises to fulfill his dream of coming to Chapman.
Finding Community at Chapman
Brito is the first person in his family to attend a private university. He chose to major in accounting and business administration with an emphasis in finance at Chapman, and was eager to get involved. He liked the idea of small class sizes, which he would allow him to bond with classmates and professors. Due to the pandemic and remote learning, he was unable to gain the kind of experience he’d hoped for during his first year.
However, he joined clubs such as the Latinx Club and the Chapman Gaming Club, where he made friends with similar interests in video games. Eventually, when students returned to campus during his second year, he participated in track and field, became the co-president of the Accounting Society and currently serves as the assistant director of finance for the Student Government Association.
It was also during his second year that he applied for and landed an internship at Deloitte, the biggest of the Big Four accounting firms.
Managing Time and Mental Health
With wind in his sails and his college years flying by thanks to a full schedule of classes and extracurricular activities, Brito was forced to prioritize his mental health and time management.
“I struggled, and am still struggling, with my mental health. This started when I lost my dad at the age of 14, but continued due to a constant battle with myself and figuring out who I am and what I want to do,” he explained.
Being a first-generation student, Brito shared the struggles of figuring things out for himself and bearing the weight of not wanting to let his family down.
“My parents are from Mexico; they didn’t get to go to college,” he continued. “There’s a lot of pressure as a first-gen student to not let parents down or lose scholarships. I wasn’t okay and I still have some struggles.”
So, how does he manage it all? Being an exceptional student while making time for his community, his family and himself was a learning experience.
“I had to develop time management skills for the sake of my mental health,” he shared. “I learned to be adaptable while planning time for studying and schoolwork. Most importantly, I block out time for self-care. Sometimes that looks like playing a video game, or taking breaks to explore things I’m interested in like watching history or piano videos on YouTube.”
Brito eventually found his footing and shared that while mental health is a constant learning curve, he’s in a better place.
“I feel that in accounting, I can be myself. I’m doing this for me and I have professors that care about me as a person,” he said.
Internship to Career
This past summer, Brito completed another internship with Deloitte – the Audit and Assurance Internship. He traveled to Sacramento, attended a conference in Texas and visited client sites around Orange County. By the end of the summer, he signed a full-time offer to return when he graduates in 2024. With Deloitte’s 3.7 percent acceptance rate, this is a huge achievement for Brito.
“After I graduate, I want to travel and study for my CPA license during my first year of employment with Deloitte,” he shared.
Brito was pleasantly surprised to find such a large community of first-generation students at Chapman. It was within this community, as well as the close-knit accounting community, that he truly found himself free of the pressure of being what he thought others wanted him to be. He hopes to become a beacon of inspiration for other students that relate to his background.
“It may seem like I had everything figured out, but I struggled and it took me until the very end of my college career to understand who I was and what I wanted to do,” he said. “A lot of first-gen students feel that they have to have it all figured out. You’re not alone in this. Just do what you enjoy and make you happy and if that changes in a few years, you’ll find your way. Just remember that we are all on this journey together.”
