SEATTLE, July 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/
-- Boundless Immigration, a Seattle-based technology company that helps
families confidently navigate the U.S. immigration process, this
week announced the inaugural winners of the Boundless American
Dream Scholarship.
The Boundless American Dream Scholarship provides financial
support to exceptionally promising students who fulfill the
requirements of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and who want to make the world a
better place through technology. This year's winners, Hector Sanchez Perez and Jennifer Martinez Sanchez, are excellent
students who, through hard work and perseverance, will make great
contributions to their fields.
Students with TPS or DACA are often ineligible for federal
student aid programs, limiting in their educational opportunities
due to financial constraints. The two winners were selected from
over 200 qualified applicants, based on their outstanding academic
performance, demonstrated ability to overcome obstacles, and plans
for the future. Their scholarships are worth a combined
$3,000.
Their stories tell of two young American immigrants who defied
the odds and worked diligently to earn their shot at an education
that would enable them to give back to their communities.
Hector Sanchez Perez is a
graduate student and DACA recipient. Born in Oaxaca, Mexico, he came to the United States as a young child, along with
his parents and two younger siblings. After graduating high school,
Hector studied biology at the University of
California at Los Angeles, where he discovered his passion
for medicine and public health as an undergrad. Now in graduate
school at Columbia University, he wants
to practice medicine in underserved immigrant communities. As
Hector explained in his scholarship application when asked what the
"American Dream" meant to him:
"Growing up in the Coachella Valley, I was exposed to the many
health disparities affecting marginalized communities.
Specifically, many Latino immigrant families in my hometown are too
afraid to seek a primary care practitioner because of fear of
deportation, and not having a health care provider that speaks
Spanish who understands the struggles of being undocumented.
Therefore, the 'American Dream' to me means living in a country
where everyone has equal access to healthcare and the opportunity
to pursue their lifelong dreams."
Jennifer is a high school student and DACA recipient. She wants
to study stem cells and their potential use in cancer treatment.
After being denied DACA benefits the first time, Jennifer was
motivated to try again after witnessing the determination of her
fellow immigrants as she helped them study for their GED tests and
fill out forms, including their own immigration applications. As
Jennifer explains:
"Just hearing their stories about what they've gone through and
what they're still going through helped me persevere. Many were
undocumented as well and faced even greater language barriers, yet
they were still trying to open their own businesses and get their
GEDs. Despite all of the barriers they had and everything they
faced they were still moving forward. So I thought, I can't let
some little piece of paper define me or my experience. After that
moment I filled out the application again and I received my DACA
status. But I realized that with or without it I was still the same
person and it wasn't going to define me or who I would become. It
sounds crazy, but I'm glad my DACA application was rejected the
first time."
"Jennifer and Hector epitomize the type of grit and spirit that
are shared among millions of immigrants in America today,"
Boundless CEO Xiao Wang said. "We at
Boundless are proud to support them in their educational journey
and look forward to all of their future accomplishments."
Boundless asked Hector and Jennifer to share a few words of
advice for other students facing similar immigration hurdles. Their
responses illustrate why these two promising students were selected
to receive this scholarship.
"Don't be afraid to ask for help. I feel like it's very
difficult for students who are undocumented to really seek support.
But there are people out there who are willing to support you.
Don't be afraid to ask for help because you never know what kind of
resources are out there. Also, find a mentor. They will help you
succeed in life." ~Hector Sanchez Perez
"Your legal status or situation does not define you or the
opportunities that you can achieve. It's rather the willpower that
you have to go beyond and strive for your ancestors' wildest
dreams. If you have the ganas [desire/motivation], that's what will
get you to the point you want to be. And it will help you find
yourself and become the person you want to become.
"I appreciate Boundless and what you are doing because you are
making dreams come true." ~Jennifer
Boundless is already accepting applications for the 2019
scholarship at
https://www.boundless.com/boundless-american-dream-scholarship/.
New winners will be selected in July
2019.
About Boundless
Boundless empowers families to navigate the immigration system more
confidently, rapidly, and affordably. The company's first product
helps U.S. citizens and permanent residents apply for green cards
for their spouses. Boundless is based in Seattle. For more information, please visit
http://www.boundless.com.
Contact:
Xiao Wang, CEO
xiao(at)boundless.com
855-268-6353
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SOURCE Boundless Immigration