Rafic Hariri's Legacy

“In my family if you had the option of an income, you chose that over an education” influenced by the alarming growth of aviation in NY, Naraidu began a career as a supervisor at JFK Airport in ‘87. However, he was a community person who “always liked being active, never indoor in an office,” thus

In “Scholarship Boy” by Richard Rodriguez, many issues are presented regarding his success in comparison to his cultural background. Although his academic successes were prevalent among his peers and family, he faced criticism for his strive to excel academically. Much of this criticism was received from those closest to him, his siblings. Rodriguez shows us through his triumphant story that through adversity, one can still excel.

When I look at my dad, I can see accomplishment beaming from him. He grew up with my grandparents in South Texas, who were migrant workers. They didn’t supply the best of income, so my father grew up with the bare minimum and basic necessities, with 5 younger brothers and sisters. During high school, my father struggled a bit with grades and family issues. After graduating, he decided to join the military, since school was not his best interest and felt he had nowhere to go. He would explain to me how he would barley pass his classes with D 's, since D 's were considered passing at the time. For eight years, he served for our country in the Navy. Soon afterwards, he met my mother, began dating, and eventually got married within a year. Another year passed and that’s where I came in. Soon after my father with no job, after

The patience, compassion and encouragement of one person improved my family’s last years with its patriarch in countless ways. It was this improvement that inspired me to pursue a career as an

Growing up, I never had the warm pleasures of bedtime stories; instead, I would hear about the unimaginable impoverishment my parents faced in their childhood. The immediate reality of poverty obscured their investment in their brighter futures; both were forced both to sell lottery tickets on the streets or trade vegetables for portions of meat: just to help sustain their families. Looking back at those nights, I can only be grateful. As one of the first in my family to attend college, I am piloting a new future, one where I hope to lift not only my family out of their struggles but also the community that has always supported me and global communities today.

Our most recent addition to the HSF Alumni Hall of Fame, Luis Sanchez, is truly an amazing success story. Who would have known that a child from a low-income household would grow up to be a successful Electrical Engineer and completely change his life around? In his recent induction interview, he mentions that thanks to the help he received from the HSF scholarship, he was able to become the first generation in his family to attend university and earn a Bachelor's Degree. He later pursued his Master's Degree.

As upcoming high school seniors, many such as myself, desire scholarships in order to alleviate the financial burden that attending a university can bring. Though this considerable and generous scholarship prize money will be used to further my education at Texas A&M University, my main wish is to bring pride and satisfaction to my family. As a first generation student, I am humbled by the opportunity of obtaining an education in America. Since my parents were migrants from Vietnam and Hong Kong, a successful life here was unheard of many years before. Financial strains do occasionally plague our lives, however, we have not forgotten the strenuous hard work and sacrifice that my parents have conquered in order to put their two daughters through

One day while out playing with his friends in the field, a scout who had been passing by offered him a scholarship to Boston College. As the first in his family to get a post-secondary education, his family was very proud of him because after all his hard work he has put into sports, it finally paid off. This scholarship changed Jacob’s life since he had to leave his friends and family behind. Jacob was

Living in a low-income family, my life was constantly being turned upside down. Whether it was living without hot water, electricity, or even a home at times I’ve had to work through it all in pursuit of my dreams. Coming home to a situation in complete disarray was a standard for my household, and when something wasn’t burning down in a fire, then life just didn’t seem real. Being pushed around has meant going the “extra mile” to succeed in life. This has meant taking a four-mile bike ride to the Santa Clara library to finish typing up a research paper for my English class or even boiling pots of water to have a lukewarm bath. While these skills are not necessarily the most difficult, they have molded me into being a person who won’t allow setbacks to stop me from achieving my

Much like Seral Gilmer, my parents made their living in the textile industry until the closure of my father’s plant in 2007. Despite being laid off, my father continued to make my education a priority and started his own business to support my family. He has instilled in me the importance of not only education, but also of integrity and perseverance. I too plan to open a business someday and give back to the community that made me who I am. With the Seral Gilmer scholarship I hope to further my education so I can achieve just that. Thank you.

As an immigrant from Nepal, I have witnessed the thrash of poverty, which constantly serves as a reminder that I was given a rare opportunity to hopefully become a successful individual. When I boarded the plane to the U.S. at age eight, the notion of hard work and excellence never failed to energize my mind; it was something I knew I had to fill myself with in order to succeed. Growing up in the U.S., I constantly focused on academics because I knew that attaining knowledge was going to be detrimental to my success as an entrepreneur I imagined myself to be. In addition, I was able to form friendships with people who were utterly different from those in the slums of Nepal. The spiritual belief of hard work and dedication combined with the

As the cost of education increases, many students search for assistance to help cover that cost. That form of assistance could come from burdensome financial aid or a scholarship that provides the student with an education free from debt. That’s why I am writing you today Mr. Alan Hall on behalf of the Student Scholarship Committee, bellow we have outlined the (1) the benefits to the student, (2) the benefits to you, and (3) how you can take action to help.

When I was an adolescent, I considered myself to be a shy, introverted person. Growing up, I had always admired my father’s adaptability through obstacles, but it wasn’t until high school that I discovered I had similar qualities of my own. During my sophomore year, my father was brought into the hospital for having five Abdominal Hernias as well as Hypertension, he was immediately brought into surgery and remained at the hospital for weeks. Each day, I visited my father at the hospital for hours and took care of my father's work at home. I also maintained my performance and reputation at school, balancing my many rigorous courses, as well as my multifarious extracurricular activities.

Twenty-four years ago, my dad boarded a one-way flight to the U.S. He was coming to a new country filled with vocational opportunities his homeland could not provide. He was not limited by his place of birth or the reality that no one else in his family had ever left their village. He trusted his gut and took a leap of faith. A year later he called for my mother and I to join him in the U.S. and we left our life in Kenya and my future was ultimately changed. Throughout my life, I have been keenly aware that had my father limited himself to only opportunities that he could see, I would have never even been able to consider opportunities such as the UNC Medical Center Administrative Fellowship.

Without the support of my father and the drastic change in my life, I understood that the only way to improve my quality of life was to study and find the passion to which I was going to dedicate the rest of my life. After careful thought, I decided to move to the United States. Leaving my family, I came to this country in search of knowledge, contacts and “greater opportunities”. During these years, I have been confronted with many obstacles, but I have been able to resolve them thanks in part to my dedication. When it comes to achieving my goals, I find it in myself to push myself until that goal it met. I consider that there is no lack of opportunities for someone that believes in their capabilities and is aware that nothing comes without sacrifice, meaning that hard work and dedication are required in order to achieve goals.