Of the thousands of C-suite executives in corporate America, less than 1% are Latina.

So, when Julissa Germosen, a tech executive from New Jersey, had the chance to give back, she did. In 2005, Germosen created a $1,000 scholarship called the Latina Leadership Potential Award at her alma mater, Rutgers University.

In the spring of her junior year, Germosen, a first-generation college student and immigrant from the Dominican Republic, was deregistered after failing to pay enough of her tuition. That summer she worked two jobs in order to reenroll in the fall and eventually graduate.

“I made a promise to myself,” said Germosen. “‘If I get through this, I promise I will help others.’”

Germosen created the scholarship to give back to young Latina women like her. Now that she had made it in her career, she could be the representation she never saw herself.

“I didn’t have that role model,” said Germosen. “I just want to help others, so they don’t feel alone like I did.”

To listen to the rest of Germosen’s story, click the audio player above.