Growing up I witnessed my mother work long hours in order to support me and my younger brother. Her sacrifice and hard work inspired me to help my family through my education. During my junior year of high school I was selected to the Pomona-based Bright Prospect Scholar Support Program, a program that helps high achieving low-income students get into some of the best colleges in the nation.
Timothy Sandoval, who was my advisor in the program, became my mentor, friend, and my older brother. Tim is someone that I have looked up to and admired since he was introduced into my life. He has always imparted wisdom upon me that has inspired me to be a better person. Most importantly Tim has always shown me compassion and love that very few have shown me in my past. In many ways he has been the fatherly figure that I had missed for much of my life. With his help and guidance alongside that of the other staff members at Bright Prospect I was able to gain admittance to Connecticut College where I received a comprehensive financial aid package.
Throughout college Tim has been there to guide me through some of the challenges of being a first generation college student. During my time in Connecticut, Tim was always there to listen to me when I needed it most. Upon graduation I was fortunate enough to be selected to work for Bright Prospect under the supervision of Tim Sandoval. It is a great honor for me to play an instrumental role in shaping the lives of other young people and helping them achieve their goals and dreams. Having the opportunity to mentor young lives under the guidance of Tim has brought meaning to my life in so many ways. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to have a positive impact in the community alongside my mentor, friend, father, and other brother-Tim.
