Student Working as McDonald’s Service Crew Graduates Magna Cum Laude

In the past few months, we’ve heard a lot of inspiring stories of hardworking students who found ways to send themselves to school and graduate from college despite their difficulties in life. Among them is this 20-year-old student named Cherry Mae Toledo, who managed to complete her studies despite financial struggles.

Cherry Mae had to juggle her time for school in the morning and her work at night as a service crew at McDonald’s to support herself. What’s even more impressive is that she graduated Magna Cum Laude from her course of Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of San Jose Recoletos in Cebu City.

In a now viral post on Facebook, Cherry Mae Toledo shared a photo of herself wearing McDonald’s uniform, where she wrote a lengthy caption narrating the hardships and triumphs that she faced in her life.

She also thanked McDonald’s for playing a big part of what she was able to achieve in her studies. Cherry Mae began her post,

“Uniforms signify the different roles we play in our community. Sometimes, we wear our school uniforms, occasionally, our intern attires, and in the future, our professional suits. Apparently, in this post, I am wearing my service crew uniform. This is the role I want to show. It’s what I am proud of. This brought more meaning to what I am now and what I have achieved.”

The young lady proves that she was proud of her job as a service crew at McDonald’s and grateful for the opportunity the company had given her.

Born to a poor and broken family, Cherry Mae did not have much in life and the victory she is now enjoying did not come easy. Her father had to serve time in jail and their mother also left home and found a new partner and had a new family. Eventually, Cherry Mae and her brother were left with their paternal grandmother who would be the one to care for them.

At first, their aunt supported them in school, but would later stop because she also had to care for her family. Luckily, she found a way to solve the situation by applying for a scholarship so she could enroll in college. She also applied as service crew at McDonald’s.

“I have been living independently for nearly 2 years, paying my own lodging and sustaining my daily needs since my aunt, who was formerly supporting me since high school can no longer support me due to unfortunate circumstances.

Coming from a broken family, I had to be resilient and find means to continue studying. Of course, it was never easy. I had to make ends meet, and had to budget the little sum of money that I get from my part-time work. I know the hardships of being a working student.

There are times when I really have to ask my friends for them to lend me some money. I attend my classes with less to no sleep.

So I think I am in the right place to say this, TO ALL WORKING SCHOLARS, PART TIMERS AND ORGANIZATION OFFICERS WHO ARE JUGGLING THEIR TIME FOR STUDIES AND EXTRA CURRICULARS. YOU CAN, IN NO DOUBT, DO IT.”

The smart young lady ended her post saying:

“You can be whatever and whoever you want to be as long as you put your mind and heart to it.’”

Many netizens could not help but admire this young lady for her determination to complete her studies despite the difficult situation she was in.