Maria Elizabeth Bonto

Maria Elizabeth Bonto is a human development and family sciences major from Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

Hometown: Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

High School: Marianas High School

Year: Expected graduation: Spring 2026

What scholarships did you receive and why did you receive them? How has the financial support impacted your experience at NIU?
I received an NIU merit scholarship, which is given to full-time enrolled students with a cumulative GPA above 2.75; the Pepsi Scholarship Fund, which I got through an application on MyScholarships; and an emergency student housing support grant provided by the Center for Student Assistance. Without the financial support, I would’ve dropped out my second year because my family couldn’t afford to send me to college. NIU has really helped me financially continue my education, and it’s one of the best qualities that this university has to offer.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path?
I wanted to be a lawyer growing up, actually. Never in my life did I consider parent education as a career option. My whole elementary, middle and high school experience was filled with activities like speech, debate and mock trial. It wasn’t until senior year of high school that I realized I wanted to work with children and be a child psychologist, which led me to NIU. I then took a human development and family sciences class as an elective during my second year of college, and I realized it aligned more with what I wanted for myself and my future career. I haven’t looked back since.

What is your major (and/or minor) and why did you decide on this course of study?
I’m a human development and family sciences (HDFS) major with an emphasis in family social services. At first, I majored in psychology, but I realized halfway through that it was more research focused, and I wanted to do more hands-on work in the future. I stumbled upon HDFS purely by accident. I didn’t realize it was a career choice and that the field was so nuanced. I wanted to become a marriage and family therapist at first, since that’s what one of my professors was, but then I took a parent education class and realized it was exactly what I wanted to do. I like the idea of being able to teach parents how to make their families stronger and more resilient.

Have you conducted an internship? How did you get your internship, and where was it?
Yes, I got my internship as a requirement for my degree. It was at NIU’s Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC).

How did your internship help prepare you for your career?
My internship at the GSRC has been both informative and rewarding. I helped co-coordinate events for the Period Project, which provides free period products for students, and I also got to work on my own program for the GSRC. I also got to participate in LGBTQ+ ally training and undocumented student ally training. I not only learned a lot about gender and sexuality related problems, but also about how I can use my position and power to help others through social justice.

What has been something you have found pleasantly surprising about your experience at NIU?
How many resources and support services are available for students! There’s a lot of diversity within the community here at NIU, which was so different to see since I was coming from an island where the majority of people were either Filipino, Chamorro or Carolinian (Chamorros and Carolinians are the Indigenous people of the Northern Mariana Islands). I feel like there’s a community for everyone here at NIU, and there’s a lot of support from people within those communities. Also, it feels like there’s always an event to attend every single week, and those events are always fun to attend. I never would’ve participated in so many activities, learned new hobbies or met new people without the many clubs and organizations here at NIU.

How have you connected with other students to study for classes, meet new people or form new friendships?
I credit my old freshman roommate for a lot of the connections I’ve made throughout the years. Without her, I don’t think I would’ve been friends with anyone because I just didn’t know the social norms of mainland America, and I felt like an outsider. But with the help of my roommate and connecting with her culture, I saw and shared similarities with mine, and we were able to bond because of that. Being in my major definitely helps as well, especially since I see the same people coincidentally over and over again, and a good chunk of us are in the major for similar reasons. Having an open mind to different cultures, experiences and personalities certainly helps. People are so different, and it’s fun learning about their lives and how their experiences differ from yours.

Are you involved in any student organizations, mentoring programs or extra-curricular activities? If so, which ones? How have they added to your experience as a Huskie?
I was a part of Huskie Gaming, which is a student-led video game club here at NIU, and I got to play against other club Valorant teams in the NECC Conference. It was so much fun getting to play in a competitive environment, and I met amazing people by being team captain of one of our Valorant teams. It taught me a lot about esports, leadership and sportsmanship when in a high-stress environment, and I’m a much more patient and understanding person now because of it. I was also a part of the Speakers Bureau, which is a student-led volunteer organization that educates students on the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies. It’s been an incredible experience because I not only get to use my knowledge and experience to educate others, but also talk about something I’m really passionate about. I’ve met incredible people and have been able to connect with so many others, and it’s made me feel like I’m part of the community at NIU.

What NIU offices, departments or resources have helped you feel safe, supported and successful? And how?
I could list so many. There’s the Huskie Academic Success Center, for which I was a supplemental instructor at one point. They’ve given me such great advice and teachings about school and the classroom that I’ll carry on. There’s the Center for Student Assistance, which has helped me with housing support and provided so many resources to help me continue living in DeKalb, thus helping me pursue my education. And of course, there’s the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, which has been such a chill space to relax, do work and interact with great people. Without these resources, I don’t think I’d be as successful and happy with my experience at NIU, and I honestly wouldn’t have wanted to continue pursuing my education without them.

Who has been one of your favorite instructors/professors and why? What course did they teach?
My absolute favorite teachers at NIU have been Dr. Deborah Koons-Beauchamp and Stephanie Lipira. Dr. Koons-Beauchamp taught HDFS 383: Clinical Applications in Family Social Services and HDFS 481: Professional Practices in Family Social Services, and was the instructor I reported to for HDFS 491: Internship in Family Social Services. Ms. Lipira taught HDFS 280: Human Development, the Family and Society and HDFS 230: Child Development. When you take their courses, you can tell they love their jobs. Dr. Koons-Beauchamp is an exemplary professor: patient, understanding, supportive and incredibly genuine, and you can tell that she is truly passionate about the helping profession and dedicated to helping others. Ms. Lipira’s classes are always fun to attend. She introduced me to the role of child life specialist in health care, which was a job I didn’t know existed, and her experience working as one gave me so much perspective on parents, children and the multiple dynamics within families. I don’t think I would’ve engaged with my major as much as I have or been as dedicated to school without them, and they’ve never made me feel like attending class was a waste of time.

How have you benefited by attending class regularly?
Being in class consistently not only helps me understand the subject material better but also develop a bond with my professor. Classes can be boring but attending them consistently means I fully understand the material being taught, since just the textbook sometimes isn’t enough for me. I like listening to my professors talk about the subject material because their expertise in the field can help you actually connect the text that you’ve read with what you’re supposed to learn. Attending class bridges that gap between reading and learning for me, and I’d be lost and clueless with some of my classes if I didn’t attend them. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, some professors give out bonuses or extra credit if you participate in class.

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community? Why are you drawn to it?
Honestly, my favorite spot on campus is the Recreation Center. I love working out, and there’s nothing more satisfying than zoning out for a good two hours then feeling great and healthy afterwards. I usually play volleyball or basketball when I go there, and when I’m with my friends we sometimes play badminton. I also like going on walks by the East Lagoon when the weather is warm and there’s a breeze. You get to see the top of Altgeld Hall when you walk around, and I’ve managed to snag some pretty sunset pics with the tower peeking out over the trees. It’s made for some really cool images.

What advice would you give to a student who is researching colleges to apply to?
Go down a rabbit hole! Find a college with a program you’re interested in and deep-dive into that program. But don’t just check out programs for a career you want to go into; electives are part of the college experience, and there are some unique classes out there that can provide a fun and interesting experience. Also, check out the financial aid and opportunities the college provides. There are a lot of scholarships, grants and other financial aid provided by each university or college, and there’s no harm in making sure you can afford to stay in the program you want and continue your education at the college you choose.

Why is a college education important to you?
For me, being in college provides you with so much knowledge and experience that real life can’t replicate. I learn so much through my classes, receive specialized training and gain unique insight into my major and specialization. I truly think a college education is invaluable. Specialized knowledge is important, especially for a field like family social services. It’s important to learn about the different theories that influence the practices services use today. You learn not just how to do a certain job, but why it’s important, what we do specifically and whose work we can learn from and adapt. Human development and family sciences is a constantly changing field, and understanding the context behind the practices and information we apply is crucial to doing our jobs properly. It’s also something my family has always wanted for me, and I’m the first in my family to graduate from a university in the States. My mom, specifically, has sacrificed a lot to make sure I get an education similar to hers, and I believe it’s only fair that I pay it back with a degree we both worked so hard to get.

What strategies do you use to manage your time between the responsibilities of school, work, friends and family?
Getting organized and having class schedules, important due dates, homework deadlines and future events in a calendar was the most important strategy I relied on. School came first and foremost for me, and I would work around my school schedule in order to spend time prioritizing other things. I’d have a designated day where I’d call my family back home so I could keep up with them, and I would usually recap my week and catch up with my family then. On days I’m completely free, I usually choose between having a self-care day followed by hanging out with my friends online at night or hanging out with my friends in person for a while. It’s a struggle to balance academics, social life, family life, and personal needs and wants, so I usually have to sacrifice one. But I make up for it by spending extra time on whatever I abandoned when I’m feeling more mentally prepared to deal with it. I had to learn the hard way that there’s no point in burning yourself out. It does more harm than good in the long run.

How do you stay informed about events and services that are available on campus?
I follow a lot of the resource centers on Instagram, which is how I find out about events going on around campus. I also check out the NIU Events Calendar and Huskie Hub for anything going on near the Holmes Student Center. There’s also the Involvement Fair, which is how I found out a lot about the resource centers and the services they provide. It also led me to find out about the unique clubs at NIU. Many of them have an event schedule on their table or a sign-up sheet that’ll update you whenever the club has an event or meeting.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I either lay in bed while reading and then nap or play video games at my desk all day. Occasionally I’ll draw, write or paint things for my friends’ DnD campaign or make fan art of the silly moments my friends and I go through while playing games together. Right now, I’ve been playing Stardew Valley, Phasmophobia, Pokemon HeartGold, Minecraft and all the games in Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man series. There’s nothing more relaxing than spending some alone time immersing yourself in a completely different world, and video games are the perfect outlet for that. I also like making playlists for specific moods or times of day and listening to them while I game.

Please tell us about your job and hobbies.
I touched on a lot of my hobbies, but most of them revolve around doing something creative. I like drawing fan art, usually of my favorite characters from shows or movies, and writing for those characters. I love playing video games because there’s something so unique and fun about immersing yourself in a creative world where your actions determine how the story goes. I also like rewatching shows and animated movies. Some of my favorite shows to rewatch are “Steven Universe,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “Arcane,” and “Haikyu!!” Some of my favorite animated movies ever are “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “Ponyo,” “Your Name” and “Tangled.” I have lots of fun creating things after being inspired by the works of others, and it’s so much fun figuring out which creative output encapsulates that feeling the best.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your NIU Huskie story?
I'm Filipino! My parents immigrated to the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2003, and I moved to the States for the very first time in 2022 immediately after graduating high school.