We are excited to announce the April 2026 Financial Goals Scholarship winner is Mariana! Congratulations!
"My name is Mariana Silverio, and I am absolutely honored to be selected as a recipient of the 1st Financial Bank USA Financial Goals Scholarship! When I was responding to the essay prompt on whether I would pick to have more time or money, it was with no hesitation that I chose time. For as long as I remember, I have dreamt of becoming an environmental advocate and “saving the planet.” However, as I get older, I’ve come to realize that there are endless environmental issues to address—a roadbump having more time would certainly help! While it's easy to say time is more valuable than money, as I go into college, the financial burden I’ll have to carry has really set in, and thankfully the 1st Financial Bank USA Financial Goals Scholarship will help alleviate that. As I pursue Environmental Science & Policy at Duke University next fall, this scholarship will greatly help me pursue my passions with less financial barriers! Thank you!" - Mariana S.
You’ve likely heard the phrase “time is money”, but it’s not always clear which is more valuable. Having more time could allow you to pursue a passion, strengthen relationships, or volunteer for an important cause. Having more money could help you fund your education, contribute to your retirement, or explore the world through travel. In her essay, Mariana shares which is more important to her and the impact it will have on her life.
"As my third grade self eagerly thumbs through Who Was Jane Goodall? I’m particularly surprised to find a detailed account of a chimp using twigs to fish termites from their mounds. The discovery that chimpanzees use tools—a characteristic previously thought to be unique to man—not only redefined what it meant to be human; the similarity increased public empathy for the rest of the animal kingdom, opening the door for greater conservation efforts. That moment solidified my commitment to environmental protection, inspiring me to use scientific knowledge toward creating sustainable policy.
All my life, I’ve felt blessed to have a true passion that feels like my 'life’s calling'—something I know not everyone is fortunate enough to have, and something no amount of money can buy. As naive as it may sound, I have learned throughout the years that money cannot achieve the same sense of fulfillment that I get from pursuing a career I truly love and enjoy. As a student at Biotechnology High School, a highly selective STEM-based magnet academy, I spent the first two years of my high school career feeling pressured to pursue a career in medicine. It was a respectable job, but most of all, it made a lot of money. I had never felt like being 'rich' was a priority in my life, but society’s expectations caught up to me.
I quickly found that without the end goal of making environmental change, my days felt bleak and overly long. Biotech is a rigorous school, and with so little time to pursue the things that truly brought me happiness, I found that I was telling myself 'just make it to the weekend' and then 'just make it to summer' more often than I would like to admit. I realized that even if medicine gave me enough wealth to have anything I wanted, and a huge house, I would live an empty life. The moment I decided to pursue environmental advocacy as a career, despite it 'not earning much' was one of the best in my life. It felt like my world had color again.
For a very long time, there was nothing I wished for more than the time I had lost, trapped in society’s expectations rather than pursuing my own passions. I constantly thought about all I could’ve achieved, all the environmental campaigns I could’ve joined. But I cannot change the past.
If I had to choose, I would rather have more time. As someone who is a strong advocate for issues such as climate change, it often feels like I am racing against the clock. With more time, I could advocate for more environmental issues, because the list feels endless. I could convince more members of my community, more voters and citizens, that pollution is no small issue. Maybe I could even help make our atmosphere a decimal of a degree cooler.
I wish I had more time, because the only green that matters to me is that of the environment, not of money."
Established in the year 1910, 1st Financial Bank USA (1FBUSA) provides quality community banking services in South Dakota, credit card and other financial services to college students and college graduates, and construction lending to builders, developers, and investors from coast to coast. 1FBUSA will award a $2,000 scholarship to a new winner each month. View full rules and eligibility at 1fbusascholarship.com.
