History
It all started with a young kid and a passion for learning. Tony excelled in school and was loved by so many of his teachers and peers. He was a straight “A” student with aspirations of attending college some day.
Tony was the oldest child of nine, and strived to set a good example for all of his siblings.
Tony graduated high school in 1983, and soon learned that he would be unable to attend college due to his immigration status. As such, Tony acted selflessly and went straight to work in a factory to provide for his siblings and disabled single mother.
It would be six years after his high school graduation that Tony would lose his life in a tragic motorcycle accident on his way to work.
Tony was a champion for education, and he knew that a college education could open so many doors. Tony was the first in his family to graduate high school, and his youngest sister Ivette was the second. Ivette was also the first in her family to graduate college and obtain a masters degree.
At a young age, Ivette made a promise to uphold Tony’s legacy. She has spent her entire professional career that spans over 20 years in the field of college access and success. Through that journey, she has gained so much perspective about the different challenges many first generation students face as they try and pursue higher education, like her brother Tony.
Ivette might have been the first in her family to cross the stage, but she was certainly not the last. Since then, 5 of her nieces and nephews also hold a college degree as first generation college graduates, and her daughter will be the first second generation college graduate.
Now, it’s their turn to pay it forward.
Many years ago, a dream was born in Ivette’s heart: to facilitate the pursuit of a college education by removing the financial barriers that stand in the way for students to achieve their goals.
We hope you partner with us on this journey of making dreams come true, one scholarship at a time.
Transform Lives With Us: Every Donation Helps Fund a College Education!
