A previous correspondent for Bienvenidos has received a scholarship from a new grant awarded to Meredith College by the Mexican government.
America Moreno , a Mexican student in her third year at Meredith College, won a scholarship sponsored by IME Scholarships , a program dedicated to grant estates to several institutions in the United States that are dedicated to helping the Latino community.
Each year, IME Becas donates $10,000 to U.S. institutions that make an active effort to help the Hispanic community, according to its website.
This year, Meredith College was selected to receive the funds along with deciding who deserved the scholarship.
Moreno did not apply for scholarship but it was simply given to her, which she thinks was not only because of her academic record but also because of her determination and ambition.
Moreno, born in Mexico, moved to the United States when she was two. When applying to college, it was difficult because few universities would offer financial aid because of her immigration status.
Meredith College was one of the few universities that offered her financial assistance.
“I paid the first semester on my own, using what I had saved from my work I had in high school. When my parents saw that I was serious about pursuing higher education, they jumped on board and were happy to help with tuition for next semester,” Moreno said.
“Because Meredith is a private institution, they were able to help more than other universities, and covered half of the cost of education for my first semester,” Moreno said.
Moreno is studying psychology and hopes to get her master’s degree in education to become a teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL). She is currently taking a graduate class and plans to take one in the spring.
“Much of the criticism I have received has been of my own family, my own community,” Moreno said. “Many times I have been told it will not earn much money, but I do not care about the money.”
She wants to become an ESL teacher because of the impact it can have in her community and to inspire young Latinos to pursue jobs that are not typical for Latinos.
“I do not think money is the key to happiness. I want to work at something I enjoy doing, in an area where I’m appreciated, which really make a difference in the personal lives of the people who will make a difference in the world, ” Moreno said.