Meet HOPE's Scholarship Recipients

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 My name is Valery Bonifacio Garcia. I’m from the Dominican Republic, and I am a freshman at WKU. My major is Biology, and I have a minor in Spanish. For me, the Hope Scholarship was what I needed to start my career at WKU. I’m so grateful to be one of the people who won the HOPE scholarship, and I am really thankful for those who donated. Thanks to those people, now I was able to start my university career.” 

Hi, my name is Emily Leon. I graduated from WKU in 2018. I majored in Elementary Education. I currently teach 2nd grade at Warren Elementary. This is my second year teaching! The HOPE scholarship allowed me to do what I love which is teaching children, shaping the future, and helping others.

I am Rhina Solorzano and I came to this country four years ago to pursue a better life. I am currently studing at Western Kentucky University.  HOPE scholarship means a lot me because unfortunately, I don't receive any financial aid so I only relay on private scholarships. Thanks to this scholarship I have a chance to continue my education and become the first one from my family to graduate from an university.  

My name is Jonny Garcia and I am a WKU class of 2016 graduate. I have a  Bachelor if Science Degree in Healthcare Administration and I currently work as a an Account Manager at GreenLight Medical. GreenLight Medical is a healthcare technology company helping hospitals meet their value analysis and supply chain management needs. As an Account Manager, I work with our different accounts across the company ensuring our software is helping them make important purchasing decisions. The HOPE Scholarship helped me complete my education because as a first generation college student and as an immigrant, I didn’t know if the next semester was always possible, but HOPE gave me an extra push that made it possible and I am so grateful for the opportunity and for the organization.

 I am a senior student at Western Kentucky University. I am pursuing a bachelor's degree in Information Technology. I am graduating this fall, but I am planning to continue working on my master's degree. HOPE scholarship meant a lot to me. I was driven to continue my education knowing that someone supported my aspirations. I would like to give many thanks to the HOPE organization for supporting students from minority groups.  

My name is Alejandra Bougrat, and I am an alumni from Western Kentucky University. This year I celebrated my fourth anniversary as a dental hygienist. My career has allowed me to grow not only professionally, but also personally. What I enjoy the most about my profession is building relationships with my patients and helping them with their overall health. HOPE is a magnificent organization that not only helped me financially but also made me a part of their family. They believed in my dreams and supported me along the way.  I will forever be grateful for such a caring organization.

 I was honored to have received the HOPE scholarship for three terms. Thanks to this scholarship, I was able to finish my college career at WKU. Currently, I hold two degrees and work in higher education. My experience as a student with limited financial assistance helped me realize that we need more individuals helping other students from under-represented backgrounds. 

 Your contribution will enable us to continue supporting students. We are very grateful for your generosity.