There are moments in life when fear and doubt seem to overshadow hope. SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI) scholars Angle Jean Geonzon Bagacay, Steven Brielle Salpid David and Fermina Kassandra dela Cruz felt giving up seemed easier than continuing their sponsored accountancy study and taking the board exam for different reasons.

Angle recalls failing a minor subject in her second year in college that shook her confidence and threatened her dream of graduating with Latin honors.

“That experience taught me resilience, humility, and how to bounce back,” she shared.

And with SMFI understanding her potential and continuing to support her, she regained her confidence.

“SMFI believed in my capabilities and invested in my future. That trust made me dream bigger and strive for excellence,” Angle said.

She won a national accounting competition and a full review scholarship for the CPA licensure examination (CPALE). She not only passed the CPALE but was named as the Top 6 performer, a confirmation that faith overcame her fear.

“Topping the boards also opened many opportunities for me and gave my family a stronger sense of security and optimism about the bright future ahead,” Angle added.

Faith over fear

Steven had to postpone the October 2025 exam to prepare, fearing that he had forgotten much of his undergraduate studies.

“There were many uncertainties, many doubts. My prayer was simply to pass,” he said.

The magna cum laude of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan (XUAC) turned fear into fuel, illustrating that hope is not the absence of fear but the courage to show up anyway. He went on to become the top 8 passer of the May CPALE.

“Becoming a topnotcher felt like divine intervention,” he said, adding that the achievement was more than a personal milestone but a first step toward providing stability for his family.

Fermina faced her own storms. During review season, her grandmother, who helped raise her, fell ill. She paused her studies to care for her, unsure if her dreams would wait.

“When I returned to my books, something deeper had taken root — a belief that purpose is bigger than adversity. God really sustained me through it all. Whatever storm there was during the review, I overcame it and, unexpectedly, even emerged as a topnotcher in the board exam,” she shared.

The summa cum laude from National University-Baliwag was the 12th passer with the highest grade in the board exam.

Looking ahead

Angle now seeks to grow professionally and inspire those still navigating their path.

“Keep working hard, but don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re doing enough,” she advised.

Steven envisions a career that uplifts his family and wants his journey to inspire others from humble backgrounds to dream boldly and trust their preparation.

“Everything will turn out fine. Don’t let fear consume you,” he advised.

Fermina, now hired in a firm owned by a former SMFI scholar, dreams of teaching and mentoring young dreamers who are just like her. She would wrap those insecurities in courage, whispering that no fear, no doubt, no circumstance could ever define what was possible.

For SM scholars and for every young dreamer still searching for direction, the journeys of Angle, Steven and Fermina show that greatness is not reserved for the certain or the fearless, but for those who continue showing up with faith, discipline and heart. That each step forward, even the small and difficult ones, becomes part of a larger story of purpose taking shape.