ACCD
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Community College District | Northwest
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College
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2004
CONTACT: Kay Hendricks, ACCD Coordinator of Communication
210.208.8006
LULAC REY FEO SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE, INC. PRESENTS $25,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO 25 FUTURE ACCD STUDENTS
Thanks to a unique scholarship
program, 25 pre-school children took their first steps toward a college education
at an awards ceremony last Friday. The young recipients, mostly children of
single mothers, each received a $1,000 scholarship to attend any of the four
colleges of the Alamo Community College District.
As part of the event, El Rey Feo Tom Sineni and Allison Reyes, Reina De La Feria De Las Flores, presented an oversized "check" for $25,000 to ACCD Vice Chancellor of Adminstration Dr. Daniel R. Derrico and Jackie Van De Walle, chair of the ACCD Foundation, Inc. The funds, donated by the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, Inc., will be held in trust until the recipients graduate from high school. Their parents, many of whom are first generation college-goers, will receive support services and assistance in securing financial aid to allow them to complete their college educations.
"This one-of-a-kind scholarship program not only benefits the children who are the recipients by giving them an incentive to go to college, but also provides an incentive for their parents to continue their education," said ACCD Chancellor Dr. J. Terence Kelly. "We are grateful to Rey Feo Tom Sineni, Reina De La Feria De Las Flores Allison Reyes and the the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, Inc. for making this outstanding program possible," he added.
Former San Antonio College student Monica Sanchez was the featured speaker at the event. Her daughter, Clarissa Marie, who will graduate from high school in 2015, is a previous recipient of a Parent-Child Scholarship. Sanchez recently graduated from SAC with an associate of arts degree. She plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Sanchez credits the LULAC Rey Feo Parent/Child Scholarship award with giving her the encouragement she needed to go to college. "I found a group of individuals who believed in me, because not even my family felt that I could complete my education," said Sanchez.
One of this year’s scholarship recipients is Lance Machado, the single father of four-year-old Raymond James, who has been both mother and father to his son since his birth. He will be attending SAC this fall and wants to be an athletic trainer. He works part time and is also in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
Another parent of one of this year’s recipients is Brandy Asher, the mother of four-year-old Kristopher Michael. Brandy graduated from high school in only three years and enrolled in college, but didn't really know what she wanted to study. After the death of her mother, she married and worked at a series of dead-end jobs before deciding that she needed to go back to college. She attends evening classes and works during the day. She has a 3.15 GPA and plans to enter the RN program at SAC and pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing at UTHSC.
Selene Dominguez, also the parent of one of this year’s recipients, was a high school student when she gave birth to her son, Jackson. She stayed home with him for a year and then returned to high school with help from the School Age Parenting program. She attended SAC this summer and has a perfect 4.0 GPA. She plans to earn a bachelor's and go to law school. The LULAC Rey Feo Parent-Child scholarship program began in 1997. 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.
As part of the event, El Rey Feo Tom Sineni and Allison Reyes, Reina De La Feria De Las Flores, presented an oversized "check" for $25,000 to ACCD Vice Chancellor of Adminstration Dr. Daniel R. Derrico and Jackie Van De Walle, chair of the ACCD Foundation, Inc. The funds, donated by the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, Inc., will be held in trust until the recipients graduate from high school. Their parents, many of whom are first generation college-goers, will receive support services and assistance in securing financial aid to allow them to complete their college educations.
"This one-of-a-kind scholarship program not only benefits the children who are the recipients by giving them an incentive to go to college, but also provides an incentive for their parents to continue their education," said ACCD Chancellor Dr. J. Terence Kelly. "We are grateful to Rey Feo Tom Sineni, Reina De La Feria De Las Flores Allison Reyes and the the LULAC Rey Feo Scholarship Committee, Inc. for making this outstanding program possible," he added.
Former San Antonio College student Monica Sanchez was the featured speaker at the event. Her daughter, Clarissa Marie, who will graduate from high school in 2015, is a previous recipient of a Parent-Child Scholarship. Sanchez recently graduated from SAC with an associate of arts degree. She plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Sanchez credits the LULAC Rey Feo Parent/Child Scholarship award with giving her the encouragement she needed to go to college. "I found a group of individuals who believed in me, because not even my family felt that I could complete my education," said Sanchez.
One of this year’s scholarship recipients is Lance Machado, the single father of four-year-old Raymond James, who has been both mother and father to his son since his birth. He will be attending SAC this fall and wants to be an athletic trainer. He works part time and is also in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
Another parent of one of this year’s recipients is Brandy Asher, the mother of four-year-old Kristopher Michael. Brandy graduated from high school in only three years and enrolled in college, but didn't really know what she wanted to study. After the death of her mother, she married and worked at a series of dead-end jobs before deciding that she needed to go back to college. She attends evening classes and works during the day. She has a 3.15 GPA and plans to enter the RN program at SAC and pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing at UTHSC.
Selene Dominguez, also the parent of one of this year’s recipients, was a high school student when she gave birth to her son, Jackson. She stayed home with him for a year and then returned to high school with help from the School Age Parenting program. She attended SAC this summer and has a perfect 4.0 GPA. She plans to earn a bachelor's and go to law school. The LULAC Rey Feo Parent-Child scholarship program began in 1997. 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.