$31,000 in LULAC Parent/Child Scholarships Puts College in Reach of Two Generations

Thanks to a unique scholarship program, 30 parents and their pre-school children now have the opportunity to pursue their dreams of a college education. At the LULAC Rey Feo Parent/Child Scholarship awards ceremony today, the parents, who are currently enrolled at one of The Alamo Colleges, each received a $1,000 scholarship. To provide them with an added incentive for academic success, once they achieve their educational goal (associate degree, certification or the first part of a transfer program) their child will be entitled to a two-year scholarship to one of The Alamo Colleges. One parent also was awarded the $1,000 Lisa Rose Flores Memorial Parent/Child scholarship. The LULAC Parent/Child scholarship program is the only one of its kind in the nation.

As part of the event, an oversized “check” for $31,000 was presented to Dr. Bruce H. Leslie, chancellor of The Alamo Colleges, and Jackie Van De Walle, chair of the ACCD Foundation Board. The $31,000 donated for the LULAC Parent-Child scholarships will be matched by funds from the ACCD Foundation to establish an endowment which will provide the scholarships.

“This unique scholarship program not only increases access to a college education and contributes to student success for first-generation-in-college-students, but also helps a second generation to achieve success as well,” said Leslie.  “We deeply appreciate the support of Rey Feo Fernando Reyes, Reina de la Feria de las Flores Stephanie Flores and LULAC Council No. 2. that has enabled this program to continue for 12 years,” he added.

Lydia Perez Roberts, MSW, a scholarship recipient in 2000, will speak at this year’s event. After attending SAC, Roberts earned a bachelor’s degree from Our Lady of the Lake University and a master’s in social work from the University of Northern Iowa. She is currently program leader for the TRiO Student Success Program at the University of the Incarnate Word, where she works with students who face many of the challenges she once faced and can help them to reach their academic and personal goals. Her son Nathan is expected to graduate from college in 2012.

Other recipient parents have also overcome obstacles to pursue their dream of a college education. Adriana Godina-Aldape, an ESL student originally from Mexico, is pursuing her associate degree at SAC, and plans to transfer to Texas A&M to complete her bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering. Her daughter, Giselle Estefania, is a year old and is expected to attend an Alamo Community College in the year 2025.

“When I became a mother, I knew I wanted a better life for my daughter, and in order to do so, I knew I needed to go to school and get a degree,” said Godina-Aldape. “To be in school now is hard, since I have to make time to take care of my daughter, to do my homework and to study. Although sometimes I feel like I am going to give up, it is precisely my daughter who gives me the strength to move forward.  I am very happy to insure her education through this scholarship and my own efforts.”

James Kennings, another scholarship recipient, is a psychology major attending Northeast Lakeview College. A Tier I graduate of the ACCD Student Leadership Institute, he plans to complete his bachelor’s in Law or Environmental Conservation at Texas A&M, to serve as an officer in the Coast Guard, and, later, to become a politician.  Alexzander, his seven-month-old son, is scheduled to graduate from high school and register at an ACCD college by 2026.

“The scholarship for my child is one of the greatest opportunities I’ve been given for his future and can help me make sure he has a great chance to succeed in this world,” said Kennings.

Rocio Chavez is this year’s recipient of the Lisa Rose Flores Memorial Scholar-ship. She earned her GED in 2006 and is a single parent, first-generation college student. Registered for the first time to attend the Fall 2008 semester at SAC, she plans to complete her Associates of Arts in Teaching, and, eventually, a Texas Teacher Certification.  Her son Andrew, age six, is starting first grade and will be eligible to enroll at any of the ACCD colleges in 2020.
“My mother worked two jobs to give us a home and a family life,” said Chavez.  “She made so many sacrifices for us so that we could have the opportunity to succeed. I want to be the first in my generation to graduate from a university and make her and my family proud.”

The LULAC Rey Feo Parent-Child scholarship program began in 1997 with a donation of $25,000 from the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, Inc., matched by $25,000 from the ACCD Foundation. To date, 306 students have been accepted into the program. The Women’s Center at San Antonio College, directed by Dr. Helen Vera, coordinates the selection of the recipients and provides assistance to the parents. The first recipient of the scholarships to graduate from high school will do so in 2011.