February 19, 2016 | SharkAdmin Northwest Vista College celebrated its annual scholarship recognition breakfast for donors and students on Feb. 12 in the Huisache Hall Banquet Room. A captivated audience of nearly 50 guests enjoyed a morning meal and listened to first-hand accounts from three students, an NVC Alum and two donors on how scholarships have impacted their lives. NVC President Dr. Ric Baser welcomed guests in attendance and explained how scholarships personally helped him succeed as a first-generation college student. Stephanie Medrano, a political science and criminal justice major with plans to transfer to UTSA, said there is proof awards such as her San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Scholarship directly impact academic success. “Ending my second semester, I had a 2.8 GPA and this last semester it increased to a 3.4,” she said. “This is proof that the scholarship benefited me and helped prepare me for transfer to a university and to be academically competitive.” Vanessa Alvarez, a liberal arts major and recipient of the Semmes Foundation Scholarship said, “If it wasn't for the scholarship, I would have never grown from where I was before.” Vanessa added that having received the Semmes Scholarship provided a positive influence for her own family. “One of my older siblings saw how I was being successful little by little and decided it was time for him to go back to school as well,” she said. Lisa Ramos, a business administration major and recipient of both the Greehey Family Foundation and Student Leadership Institute scholarships, said her awards provided the financial security needed to focus entirely on her studies rather than having to work part time. Lisa shared that she has recently been accepted to an undergraduate degree program at Georgetown University. Julien Mahler, an NVC alumnus, discussed how scholarships make a difference. He said the awards he received while at NVC helped him be more engaged on campus and allowed him to focus on his coursework. Julien added to the morning’s celebration by sharing that he is now on his way to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's Medical School. He was one of 50 applicants accepted from a pool of 3,000. From a donor’s perspective, Gary and Sandi Degerstrom, who established the Ashley Lynn Degerstrom Scholarship in memory of their daughter, delivered a heart-felt message about what it means to donate, and how their scholarship helps to ensure Ashley’s dream of being a teacher can be passed on to future generations of NVC students. “NVC has become a part of our family,” the Degerstrom’s said. They told how their oldest daughter, Jennifer, declined two full-ride scholarships from four-year universities to attend NVC. The Ashley Lynn Degerstrom Scholarship has so far awarded over $14,000 and helped nine NVC students. The Scholarship Recognition Breakfast is an annual event of the Community Development Department to recognize donors who support NVC scholarships and scholarship students. To date in this academic year, 297 NVC students have received more than $170,000 in scholarships. To learn more about supporting scholarships at NVC, contact Lynne T. Dean at [email protected] or call 210-486-4135. Contributed by Manny V. Martinez of the Community Development Department
